July 29, 2004. Scott O’Brien, an up and coming screen writer who spent most of his days digging into research, drafting pitches and writing spec scripts based on real crime cases for ABC’s “The Practice”, and Fox’s “Ally McBeal” and “Boston Public” gets dragged by his wife Kelly, (former intern and production pro) to a long running murder mystery dinner show in Southern California. In Scott’s opinion, this particular production was, frankly, a crime against entertainment. Think over-the-top costumes, fake bribe money, cheesy dialogue, and a plot so predictable it could’ve been solved with your eyes closed. As bad as the production was, the place was packed with sleuths every weekend. On the drive home, Scott ranted about how he could easily craft something better—grittier, funnier, and far more engaging. Kelly, never one to let a good idea go untested, threw down the challenge: “If you think it’s so easy then why don’t you try it?”
November 6, 2004: The Dinner Detective was born.
Bringing to the table their love for storytelling, business acumen, logistics, and creativity, (all honed under TV legend David E. Kelley), Scott and Kelly set out to reinvent the old and tired murder mystery genre. They traded campy dialogue for sharp improv, drew inspiration from real cold cases, and hid actors among the audience for maximum suspense; no costumes. Their first show in was held at San Gennaro Restaurant in Culver City, CA. It was a huge gamble that paid off—guests were hooked; laughing, sleuthing, and savoring a four-course meal while trying to spot the culprit in plain sight. From that Culver City spark, The Dinner Detective started franchising (the first of its kind in the franchise world) and quickly exploded into the world’s largest interactive murder mystery dinner show.
The secret sauce? Hiring top-notch producers and incredible improv talent from places like The Second City, Improv Olympic and Upright Citizens Brigade, keeping scripts loose and current for spontaneous hilarity, and ensuring every show feels like a fresh crime scene ready to be solved. The vision—rooted in Scott’s crime research and a shared passion for bringing people together—turned a one-off idea into a nationwide (and worldwide) phenomenon. Currently, The Dinner Detective is now cracking cases in over 100 cities throughout North America and private events throughout the world. The Dinner Detective serves up intrigue, comedy, and delicious meals to tens of thousands of would-be detectives every year. So whether you’re sniffing out clues or just here for the laughs, we hope you will join us for an evening where the only thing deadlier than the mystery is the competition for the Top Sleuth prize.
Welcome to The Dinner Detective—where dinner’s always a killer time!