Getaway to Murder

New Paltz, NY - Murder By The Book
2026-02-27 00:00 - 2026-03-01 23:59 (America/New_York) | MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE, 1000 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz, NY, 12561, United States
Mystery Weekend

Bring your pen and parchment for a weekend of authors, novels, and secrets, for ‘Murder by the Book’.
Watch a mystery unfold before your eyes at Mohonk Mountain House, the birthplace of Mystery Weekends, now celebrating its momentous 50th anniversary! In the 1970s, Mohonk was the place where Mystery Weekends got their start. Performers act out each scene in front of you, and it is up to you or your team to solve the crime.
This year, we present a Mystery weekend with classic elements and all-new wrinkles to baffle and confuse. Highlights include ‘Murder by the Book’- a Mystery play in four acts produced by Murder Café, an original puzzle hunt by Greg Pliska, a tabletop escape room, live music, Sunday’s closing events, and more! Costumes and props are encouraged but not required.
This Year’s Mystery: Murder by the Book
A group of the world’s most celebrated mystery writers descends upon the secluded Mohonk Mountain House for what promises to be a weekend of inspiration and intrigue. Their peculiar hosts—lavish patrons of the literary arts —are eager to discuss their favorite methods of murder. But when one of the famed authors is discovered dead, the weekend takes a sinister turn. Accusations fly, secrets unravel, and tensions rise—as an uninvited guest crashes the party and another body falls. The masters of whodunit are quick to share their favorite means of murder by the pen, but they are slow to realize the line between fiction and reality begins to vanish… and not everyone will make it to the final chapter.

There are three elements to participating in Mystery Weekend. Each of these elements are separate from each other. There will be similarities due to thematic reasons, but clues to solving the mystery will not be found in each other.
i. The Live Action Mystery: ‘Murder by the Book’ – Presented in 4 Acts
ii. An original puzzle hunt by Greg Pliska
iii. The King in Yellow: A Golden Anniversary Mystery Challenge: A Tabletop Mystery presented by Mohonk’s Recreation Team

Pre-registration is required

There is a $30 per person program fee for participation in the Mystery Weekend program. In addition, the tabletop escape room requires advance sign-up. This program is not recommended for children under age 12. Parental guidance is suggested. You may participate as an individual; you may join a team or bring a team of your own!

Being on a Team

If you are on a team, you will be eligible to win a prize in the Team Solutions performance on Sunday, 3/1/26. Otherwise, all other contests (the written solutions to the Mystery, The Greg Pliska puzzle hunt, and the fastest time out of the tabletop escape room) are open to all guests who are a part of the program. Costumes are encouraged as a way to add to the fun, but they are not required. All prizes and winners will be revealed on Sunday, 03/01/2026. If you wish to eat meals with your team, reservations are required in advance.
What to do & how to get around

Welcome Letter

A Welcome Letter will be given to you upon check-in with the weekend’s schedule, dates, locations, and times.

Sign up & Registration

Sign up at the Registration Table on the Ground Floor inside the Lake Lounge from 4pm – 5:30pm. Here, you will be able to sign up for the tabletop escape room, register your team, and have any questions answered about Mystery Weekend.

Friday, February 27

Act I of ‘Murder by the Book’ begins at 9pm.
Be on the lookout tonight! You never know when a mysterious stranger may deliver your puzzle hunt packet.

Saturday, February 28

Act II & Act III of ‘Murder by the Book’ will continue to unfold at 10am and 5pm, so don’t miss these events!
The King in Yellow: A Golden Anniversary Mystery Challenge will be available from 11am – 12:15pm, 2pm – 4:45pm and 7pm – 9pm. Remember to sign up!

Sunday, March 1

Whodunit Solution Sheets will be distributed after Act III on Saturday, 02/28/2026, and can be dropped in the box in the Parlor by 10am Sunday, 3/1/26. Prizes will be given to the most accurate solution.
Team Solutions will be presented in a creative (and often hilarious) style beginning at 10am for a chance to win a prize! There will be five minutes per team presentation, with teams called at random. These “plays” through the years have been funny, dramatic, musical, and especially silly. The prize will be awarded for a blend of the most accurate and most creative solutions. Costumes and props are encouraged but not required. Use your imagination for any other props, costumes, or supplies you might need to break the case. This element has been with the Program since the 1970s and always adds fun to the all weekend.
Act IV of ‘Murder by the Book’ at 11am will solve the mystery!
Prizes & Winners will all be announced following Act IV. If you are unable to attend, please let the Theme Programs Team know at any event prior.
