FAQ

Common questions about The Vineyard Files. Still curious? Write to us at contact@thevineyardfiles.com.

What exactly is this?

A mystery you solve with real documents. Each case is a physical folder of evidence: police reports, witness statements, photographs, phone records, and the small inconsistencies that decide a case. You read through it, piece together what happened, and name a suspect. There is no host and no narrator. Just you, the file, and whoever you bring to the table.

How many people can play?

One to five. It works well solo, as a quiet evening with the file and a glass of something. It works just as well with a small group passing documents across a table and arguing about what they mean. More than five gets crowded around the evidence.

How long does it take?

Most people finish in 90 to 150 minutes. Some go faster. Some spread it across two evenings on purpose, and we love when they do. The folder is yours to keep, so there is no clock.

Do I need anything else to play?

No. Everything you need is in the folder, ready to spread out on a table. No subscription, no account to make, and for now, nothing to download. Open it and begin.

Can I play it more than once?

Each case is a single-play experience. Once you know who did it, you cannot unknow it. But the folder is built to keep and to pass on. When you are finished, it makes a good gift for someone who has not read it. A mystery is better when it gets a second life on someone else's table.

Is it appropriate for kids?

The Wrong Tide is written for adults and older teens. It involves a death, an affair, and a referenced incident from years earlier. Nothing is graphic, but it is not a family game in the way a board game is. For teenagers around fifteen and up who are comfortable with adult drama, it works well.

What's inside the folder?

A welcome letter and a How to Play guide, a detective briefing, a full police case file, suspect dossiers, witness statements, phone and message records, ferry records, crime scene photographs, a map, an archived older case referenced in the investigation, and a sealed envelope containing the full solution. There is also a small sealed envelope of hints, in case you get stuck.

What if we get stuck?

Inside the folder is a small envelope marked Hints. It holds four cards, each pointing you toward a piece of evidence worth a second look. None of them name the killer. Open only the one you need, only if you need it.

When do I open the sealed envelope?

Not until you have made your accusation. The solution is sealed for a reason. Once you read it, the case is over. Complete the accusation worksheet first, then open it and see how close you came.

How is it delivered?

We ship anywhere in the United States for a flat $9.99. On Martha's Vineyard, we hand-deliver ourselves, usually within a day or two of your order. Either way, your folder is packed flat and protected, and you will get a confirmation when it is on its way.

Can I return it?

We accept returns of unopened folders within 14 days of delivery for a full refund, minus return delivery. We cannot accept returns of opened case files, because the solution is sealed inside and the value of the case is solving it for the first time. If your folder arrives damaged or with something missing, that is on us. Write to us and we will replace it at no cost.

Do you ship off-island?

Yes. We ship anywhere in the United States for a flat $9.99. On the island, we still hand-deliver every folder ourselves.

Who makes these?

We do, on Martha's Vineyard. Each case is written, designed, and assembled by hand. The island in the story is real. The people and events are not.

I finished the case. Can I tell you what I thought?

Please do. Write to us at contact@thevineyardfiles.com. We read everything, and hearing how people solved a case (or where they got pleasantly lost) is the best part of making them.