The Dinner Detective is the largest interactive murder mystery dinner show company in North America — performing year-round in over 100 cities and entertaining hundreds of thousands of guests every year.
We've been at this for over 20 years, and we're still the only show in the country where the mystery unfolds all around you — at your table, in your seat, with real professional actors hidden among the crowd.
Our Story
Scott O'Brien — an up-and-coming screenwriter who spent 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 to a long-running murder mystery dinner show in Southern California.
In Scott's opinion, the 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 show 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.
"If you think it's so easy, then why don't you try it?"— Kelly O'Brien, Co-Founder
Kelly, never one to let a good idea go untested, threw down the challenge. Scott took it.
Case File No. 001
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 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 began franchising — the first of its kind in the franchise world — and quickly exploded into the world's largest interactive murder mystery dinner show.
The vision — rooted in Scott's crime research and a shared passion for bringing people together — turned a one-off idea into a nationwide phenomenon. The formula has never changed:
World-Class Improv TalentProducers and performers recruited from The Second City, Improv Olympic, and Upright Citizens Brigade.
Loose, Current ScriptsScripts are kept flexible and contemporary, leaving room for spontaneous hilarity every single show.
Real Crime ResearchEvery story is rooted in Scott's background writing about real cases — grounded, believable, and genuinely suspenseful.
A Fresh Crime Scene Every TimeNo two shows are identical. Every night feels like a new case ready to be cracked.
Currently, The Dinner Detective is cracking cases in over 100 cities throughout North America — and producing private events throughout the world. We serve up intrigue, comedy, and delicious meals to tens of thousands of would-be detectives every year. Whether you're sniffing out clues or just here for the laughs, we hope you'll 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.
Not Your Typical Murder Mystery
Other companies put the show on a stage. We put it in the room — and nobody gets out of the investigation. Here's what's different about us.
Ready to Join the Investigation in San Diego, CA?
Grab your tickets for an upcoming public show, or get a quote for a private event.