If you've watched Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man on Netflix (25.3 million views in its first three days, so chances are decent), there's a tabletop way to stay in Small Heath a bit longer. Cryptic Killers' Peaky Blinders case file is out now and has already picked up a Hero Toy Award at Toy Fair in January.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeThe setup is classic Peaky: horse racing jockey Clifford Brown has been found dead behind The Garrison Tavern, and the finger points straight at Tommy Shelby. Your job is to work through 35 pieces of physical evidence, including 1920s police reports, newspaper clippings, a map of Small Heath and photographs, to find the real killer and clear Tommy's name. You'll also receive phone calls from Tommy, Arthur and other Shelbys as you investigate.
Cryptic Killers rates the case at 4 out of 5 for difficulty, and most groups take about three hours to crack it. There's a hint system if you get stuck, but the satisfaction of piecing together the clues without help is the real draw. If your group has played Hunt A Killer or Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, you'll recognise the format: a box of physical evidence, no board, just deduction. The whole thing leans into the cold case file trend, prioritising tangible evidence over digital apps, which suits the 1920s setting nicely.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeThe game comes from LA Brands, a Wokingham-based company run by Andy Hobbs and Luke Stephenson. They celebrated the launch with an immersive event at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. It's a fitting choice: Charlie's Yard at the museum served as a filming location for the TV series. Attendees solved a bespoke murder mystery around the grounds, with actors in character and fish and chips at Hobbs & Sons.
The Peaky Blinders case file is available from Menkind and Amazon for £23.
Sources: Vice | Geek Native | Licensing.biz | Tabletop Gaming
