Sullivan King had only heard whispers about a new criminal group – until their reign of terror made things personal for him. The group – filled with self-proclaimed zombies, vampires, and other monsters – has its hand in everything from selling drugs to abducting people. Although they have police baffled, Sullivan is sure of one thing: he’s going to do whatever it takes to stop them. Can you help Sullivan uncover the group’s monstrous secret and bring them to justice?
Order by June 30th to get this box!
Q: How do the archives work? If the active subscription lasts 4 months and each box is part of a larger story, is each archive 1 part of past 4 part stories or is each archive all 4 parts in 1 package?Asked by Tommy H., April 2022
Hi Tommy,
Thanks for your question! Each archive is a stand-alone mystery, so you can work through any that sound interesting to you without having to worry about missing anything.
Thanks!
Q: Can we re-use/reset the game and give it to our grandkids who live in another state, or is this strictly a one-use game experience? Asked by Paul P., March 2022
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out!
One of the cases in our Monster Madness series does have a clue that requires you to cut one of the documents, so it could not be completely reset. Other documents were made with the intention of being written or drawn on, however, in most cases you should be able to use a notepad instead, so that you can preserve the clue.
Our Rookie Detective series (The Time Traveler) does not have any clues that would need cut up and could be reset if you use a notepad to write things down instead of writing directly onto the documents
Thanks!
Q: The description says it spans over 4 case files and that the subscription ends after 4 months. However could you do only one of the four months as a stand alone case or is you need all four files?Asked by Krystiana I., May 2021
Hi Krystiana,
Thanks for reaching out.
While our subscription cases do involve an overarching story, each case is its own, stand-alone mystery. If you decide that you'd only like to try one month, that's no problem at all.
Thanks!
Brandon
Q: I want to give this as a gift but want to designate a finite time. Do you offer that or do I have to sign up and then remember to cancel when the "gift" is over?Asked by Sharon S., December 2020
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for reaching out!
Our subscription options are set to last 4 months and then automatically end. While the subscription cases make up a 4-part series, each case is also its own complete mystery, so you can cancel at any time without worrying about your gift recipient being able to complete the mystery.
Currently, to my knowledge Cratejoy does not offer the ability for you to purchase a subscription with a customized end date, which means you would need to cancel your subscription if you'd like to send your recipient fewer than our 4 cases. Alternatively, we do sell our past cases in the "Archives" section of our website. Those may be a better option for you if you'd like to purchase a specific number of...
We found that some of the clues and help from the emails was incorrect. This was our first box. We are going to give another shot next month.
Hi Christy,
Thanks for your feedback. I'm sorry to hear you did not enjoy your first case. We do have multiple people extensively test our cases for errors but, if you found one, I would love additional information about it so that we can take care of it.
It does look like you signed up for our Master Detective series. If the case itself was too difficult, we do offer a Rookie Detective series that may be a better starting point. The Rookie Detective's story involves time travel and is a lot of fun, so it may be exactly what you're looking for!
Thanks, I didn't realize this was USPS' fault. I'm sorry you've had trouble with a bunch of your shipments, I hope USPS gets that sorted out soon.
Anyway, I deleted my review and will update once I get the box. Thanks for sending a replacement!
Hi Joseph,
I truly do apologize for the USPS shipping issue. As I mentioned in the email I sent to everyone last week, I've been on the phone with USPS multiple times, emailed with them, and visited the post office where we ship things from. Unfortunately, the information we've been given is that due to COVID and increased holiday shipping volume, USPS is experiencing significant delays. We were told that the packages are likely held up in Columbus, OH but that they hoped to be caught up soon.
I have spoken with USPS since my last update, but they have been unable to provide me with any additional information. I've also submitted information to open an investigation once enough time had passed, but have yet to hear...
This just didn't hold our attention but the quality was good. The story was suitable for all ages.
I tried a few boxes but decided not to keep up my subscription. The mysteries are cute and the puzzles are sometimes sort of fun, but I found too many to be weirdly frustrating, and the e-mails with Sullivan take too long--I'd rather the entire hint system was on a website instead of just the first part. The last box I got had an error in a puzzle that caused multiple "I'm lost" e-mails, with waits for answers...only to find out that I was on the right track from the start but they'd made a mistake. Also, minor point, but the introduction letter is like 3 pages long. It seems unnecessary--every other puzzle box seems to be able to explain itself in short order. Anyway, I have multiple mystery box subscriptions, and I decided that this wasn't going to be one of the ones I kept. Too many headaches.
This is a great box for the 10-13 age range. Everything is very family friendly. It is really just a puzzle game than a mystery box. The case we received, case 032, was missing a line from the circus flyer, I assume. When we emailed, the hint explained it should say something about Rena the elephant and Blaze the ring master. However, those names were no where on the circus flyer. I assume someone cut off a line or something. That made the mystery impossible to solve on your own without being able to email or cheat. So all in all, we didn't enjoy it. Except when you unscramble one of the words you can spell "Penus" and that made us laugh haha
Update: After the response below, it does seem we were missing a document. We had 4 clues and a yellow crystal ball paper. But like Brandon said, you could email him and get a copy if you realize it is missing. We emailed the stock account and got the answer to the puzzle which made us realize something was missing. But we already had the answer by that point so it wouldn't have mattered much. Also, nothing wrong with being family friendly, just wouldn't recommend it for a date night like the site listing does.
Hi Kelsea,
I appreciate your feedback - thank you!
We do strive to keep all of our cases family friendly, so they tend to be quirky and often focus on non-violent crime.
In regards to the document issue you mentioned, I think you actually may have been looking at the incorrect document. For the puzzle you referenced, you need to look at multiple documents. The elephant and ringmaster are named on the poster that was included with your case file, not the the flyer.
Of course, if there are ever any issues with the documents - which is pretty rare - I'm always more than happy to send a replacement physical and digital copy as long as I'm contacted about the issue. Unfortunately, I didn't hear from you, so...
Kinda funny. Kinda campy. Varied puzzles. LOTS of fun! Highly recommend.
Liked the PG types of case. I wouldn't mind a murder or kidnapping. 😉
Great fun for our family to share!
My husband and I wanted an activity to do with our fourteen year old son. He loved and we loved it!! It was so much fun figure it out the clues and email the detective. The clues were challenging but not to the point of frustration. It took us two days to solve and we are excitedly waiting for our next case!
Just received my second box. I can’t tell you how fun these are. My husband and I love working through these. They challenge both of us. We will take breaks and then one of us will shout I think I know what to do. Really good bonding time for us.
Renea Evans' dream home suddenly became a nightmare when she began seeing apparitions and receiving terrifying messages. Convinced that her new home is haunted, she's asked Sullivan to investigate. If he can figure out the ghost's identity, Renea hopes that she can make it move on before she loses everything she’s worked for. Can you help Sullivan get to the bottom of the ghost's otherworldly messages before Renea is forced to abandon her home? Sign up to find out!
Celest St. Claire never expected that she’d be targeted by a dangerous stalker dressed as a giant mascot. Little is known about the stalker other than the fact that they’ve put multiple people in the hospital. With only three days to play their game and meet them face-to-face, Celest needs your help before she becomes their next victim. Can you help Celest and Sullivan find the stalker and put an end to their masked mayhem before it’s too late?
Asuna Yukimura has been kidnapped by Krampus the Christmas Devil. Now, being held for ransom, Asuna intends to make Krampus regret ever targeting her. She has only one option - create as much trouble as she can. Luckily, she still has her cell phone, and Sullivan is only an email away. Can you work with Sullivan to help Asuna beat Krampus at his own game and escape? Sign up today to find out!
Spencer Dye is being targeted by the serial arsonist known only as "The Cat," which means one thing – her life could go up in flames at any moment. To save herself, Spencer has only one option: find the connection she shares with The Cat. Then – and only then – will she stand a chance of stopping them. Can you help Sullivan and Spencer extinguish a burning grudge that spans decades? Sign up today to find out!
John Malvone broke his ex-girlfriend’s heart, and now she intends to break him. The problem is, he’s not sure which ex is coming after him. John has survived three attempts on his life so far, but his luck won’t hold out forever. If he doesn’t figure out who wants him dead – and soon – he won’t survive his spiteful lover’s next attack. Can you help John stop his ex before she decides he can’t live without her? Sign up today to find out!
Mina Yen, a Magician's Assistant, was murdered on stage during a performance. Although it's clear that the illusion was sabotaged, the police aren't sure who is responsible. Sullivan has been hired to clear the lead suspect's name, but he's not convinced that the man is innocent. If he can't find evidence that will help put the real murderer away - and fast - he's afraid it's only a matter of time before they kill again.
Jack Hill, the owner of Dark World - an interactive sci-fi museum - has gone missing. Sullivan is afraid he's been murdered, but Jack's wife believes that the museum holds the key to bringing her husband back. With no other leads, Sullivan's last hope is to search Dark World for any trace of Jack's whereabouts. If Jack really is still alive, Sullivan is afraid he's running out of time. Can you help Sullivan navigate Dark World's six kingdoms and bring Jack home?
Sullivan’s office has been ransacked and one thing is clear – the Moretti crime family is behind the break-in. The thieves were after a diamond and found one – just not the one they wanted. Instead, they stole a wedding ring that once belonged to Sullivan’s late mother. Worse, before they could sell the ring, they managed to lose it. Can you help Sullivan race against the Moretti family to get his mother’s ring back? Sign up today to find out!
John Malvone is dead and his killer is ready to strike again. What was supposed to be a harmless murder mystery dinner has turned into a deadly party. Nobody knows what the killer wants, but one thing is clear: if they don’t play his game, Sullivan and Celest are next. Can you help Sullivan and Celest put a stop to the twisted party before they end up dead? Sign up today to find out!
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