At Cryptic Case Files, every detail—from an ink-smudged police transcript to the subtle motive behind a suspect’s lie—is designed to make our mysteries feel real. But here’s a secret: many of our ideas are inspired by the real world. True crime isn’t just our favourite genre—it’s our creative fuel.
From cold cases that still baffle investigators to curious crimes with unbelievable twists, here are a few real-life mysteries that have helped shape our detective board games, particularly The Murder of Elizabeth Crestwood.
1. The Unsolved Mystery of the Isdal Woman
In 1970, a woman’s charred body was found in Norway’s Isdalen Valley. No ID, no clear answers—only strange clues: fake passports, coded notes, and wigs among her belongings. To this day, no one knows who she was or what really happened.
How it inspired us: The eerie anonymity of the Isdal Woman helped us shape characters with shadowy pasts and hidden identities. In The Murder of Elizabeth Crestwood, several guests at the masquerade are not who they seem—and peeling back those layers is part of the challenge.
2. The Curious Case of the Tylenol Murders
In 1982, several people in Chicago died after taking Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide. It sparked panic and completely changed packaging laws. Despite extensive investigations, the case remains unsolved.
How it inspired us: This case reminded us that sometimes, the danger doesn’t come from a person you see—but from what’s hidden in plain sight. In our games, small, overlooked items often carry the biggest clues.
3. The Mysterious Death of Florence Nightingale Shore
A cousin of the famous nurse, Florence Shore was beaten to death on a train in 1920. Despite multiple suspects and motives, her killer was never found. The case made headlines, intrigued the public, and went cold.
How it inspired us: The setting—a contained, seemingly civilised environment turned sinister—helped shape the isolated tension within The Murder of Elizabeth Crestwood. Like a train carriage or a locked room, a grand estate full of guests can quickly become a cage of secrets.
4. The Disappearance of Agatha Christie
The queen of crime fiction vanished in 1926. Found 11 days later at a hotel under a different name, she claimed amnesia. Was it stress? A planned escape? We still don’t know. Her disappearance remains one of the literary world’s most enduring mysteries.
How it inspired us: We loved the idea of a mysterious figure with secrets, slipping through the cracks. Characters in our stories often borrow a touch of Agatha’s enigmatic presence.
5. The Green Bicycle Mystery
In 1919, Bella Wright was found shot near Leicester, and a man with a green bicycle became the prime suspect. Though he was tried, he was never convicted, and the bike was found in a canal—meticulously dismantled.
How it inspired us: The details in this case—muddied alibis, circumstantial evidence, and unreliable witnesses—mirrored exactly what we aim to bring to our players: an experience where facts are fragile, and nothing is quite what it seems.
Why Real Mysteries Matter in Game Design
We don’t just use true crime stories to inspire plot twists—we use them to bring realism and emotional weight to our interactive crime games. These real-world cases remind us that mystery isn’t about spectacle—it’s about people. Their flaws, fears, and secrets.
When you pick up a case from Cryptic Case Files, you're stepping into a world built from a blend of fact and fiction. Our aim is to capture the complexity, the thrill, and the emotion of real investigations—wrapped in the safety of a mystery night game.
Final Thoughts
The line between fiction and reality is often blurrier than we think. And for true crime fans like us, that’s exactly what makes mystery so compelling. So the next time you're solving one of our mystery-solving games, just remember: some of those clues may have been inspired by the cold, curious world of real unsolved crime.