Updated May 2026
If you fancy yourself a bit of a Poirot, then the Unsolved Case Files Game Harmony Ashcroft will absolutely put your detective skills to the test. We first picked up this cold case mystery after thoroughly enjoying its sister game Jamie Banks and I have to say, it’s still one of the best nights in we’ve had as a family.
In this honest review, I’ll walk you through exactly what’s in the box, how it plays around a real kitchen table, who it suits best, whether it’s worth the money and how it compares to other titles in the wider series.
Affiliate disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only ever recommend products we’ve personally tried and genuinely enjoyed.
Harmony Ashcroft at a glance
Here’s a quick cheat-sheet if you’re just after the headline details before diving into the full review:
| Detail | Unsolved Case Files: Harmony Ashcroft |
|---|---|
| Players | 1 to 8 (best with 2 to 6) |
| Age | 14+ |
| Playing time | 90 minutes to 3 hours |
| Difficulty | Moderate — clever but solvable |
| UK price | Around £20 to £30 on Amazon UK |
| Internet required? | Yes — for online answer checks (no spoilers) |
| Best for | Family game night, date night, gifts for teens, true crime fans |
You can check the latest price on Amazon here, it does fluctuate, but it’s typically very reasonable for what you get in the box.
What is the Unsolved Case Files Game Harmony Ashcroft?
According to the publisher, Goliath Games, this is a cold case murder mystery game in which you play the role of a detective reopening a 1998 case.
The scenario is fictional but feels strikingly real, set in the small town of Riverdale, Indiana, you’re handed the original investigator’s file and tasked with solving three linked mysteries to crack everything wide open.
Harmony was murdered in the parking lot behind a local restaurant the night before her wedding. A local vagrant called Bones McBride was convicted and has now spent over two decades behind bars, except he’s completely innocent. Your job is to prove it, dismantle the real killer’s alibi, and find the single piece of evidence that will finally put them away.
Who are the suspects?
Without giving anything away, there are four main people to investigate as you work through the case:
- Christian Peterson — Harmony’s fiancé, who argued with her in front of 30 witnesses on the night and was the last person seen alone with her.
- Derek Sivers — a war veteran who recently lost custody of his son thanks to her court testimony.
- Andy Allen — her lifelong best friend, with feelings he never quite admitted out loud.
- Rex Ratliff — a deeply unsettling stalker who refused to leave her alone.
Every one of them has motive. Every one of them has a wobble in their alibi. Working out who did it and proving it with evidence is what makes this so genuinely gripping.
What’s inside the case file?
The presentation is honestly outstanding. The game arrives in a sealed evidence file that you literally have to rip open before you can play and that little ritual sets the tone for everything that follows. Inside, you’ll find more than 50 pieces of realistic evidence, including:
- Newspaper clippings from the time of the original murder.
- Bundles of police documentation and investigation notes.
- Crime scene photographs (not gruesome, it’s clever rather than gory).
- Suspect interrogation transcripts and witness statements.
- A coroner’s report, fingerprint cards and phone records.
- Sealed envelopes you open as you progress, containing fresh evidence and your next objective.
It’s the level of detail that makes it feel less like a board game and more like an actual investigation. You’ll find yourself laying papers out across the table, scribbling notes and arguing with whoever’s playing alongside you about timelines and motive.
How do you play?
The game works around three objectives that you tackle one at a time:
- Objective 1: Prove that Bones McBride could not have committed the murder.
- Objective 2: Disprove the alibi of the suspect you believe is the real killer.
- Objective 3: Identify the single piece of evidence that puts them behind bars.
After each objective, you head over to the official Unsolved Case Files online answer page to check whether you’ve cracked it.
Get it right and you open the next sealed envelope. Get it wrong and you keep investigating, without any spoilers ruining the rest of the case. There are also three hints available per objective if you get truly stuck, which we found really helpful on one tricky section.
There’s no time pressure, no batteries required and no fiddly setup. Just rip open the file, spread it out and go.
How long does it take to solve?
On average, you’re looking at somewhere between 90 minutes and 3 hours, depending on how many people are playing and how thoroughly you work through the evidence.
With two players really chewing things over, ours stretched closer to the three-hour mark, which felt like brilliant value for the price. Larger groups tend to crack it quicker because more eyes are scanning more documents at once.
How many people can play?
Officially, it’s designed for 1 to 8 players, but honestly we’d say 2 to 6 is the sweet spot. You can absolutely play solo and lots of true crime fans do, but there’s something about the back-and-forth of working it out together that makes the experience.
If you have 8 or more people, split into two teams and race to crack the case first. It’s a brilliant party game format.
What age is it suitable for?
The official age rating is 14 years and up. The themes are adult (it is a murder mystery, after all), but there’s nothing graphic in the evidence – it relies on suggestion, documents and deduction rather than anything visually disturbing. Plenty of capable younger teens manage it with an adult or older sibling alongside them, but 14+ is a sensible guideline.
It also makes a fantastic no-prep indoor activity for families when the weather turns and everyone needs something to focus on that isn’t a screen.
Is the case based on a true story?
No, despite how genuinely realistic the case file feels, none of the Unsolved Case Files games are based on true crimes.
The cases are entirely fictional, which honestly makes them much easier to enjoy guilt-free. You get all the satisfaction of working a cold case without any of the ethical wobbles that come with playing detective on a real victim’s life.
How does it compare to other games in the series?
Harmony Ashcroft is the original, the case that started the whole series back in 2018 and it’s still considered one of the very best. It’s the title most people recommend if you’ve never played one of these games before.
The difficulty is pitched at a really satisfying level: hard enough to feel clever when you crack it, but never frustrating enough to make you give up.
We also played the Jamie Banks case shortly afterwards, which is a strong follow-up. Jamie Banks leans a little more into modern-day evidence (more phone records, social media-style content), while this one has that wonderfully retro 1998 small-town feel. Both are excellent, but if you can only buy one as a starting point, the Harmony case is the one we’d reach for first.
There are now well over a dozen titles in the wider series (Jane Doe, Avery Gardner, Tatum Carraway and more), as well as bundle packs that combine multiple cases at a cheaper per-game price. Worth keeping an eye out for if you fall in love with the format like we did.
Who will love this game?
It punches well above its weight for the price, but it shines brightest for a few specific groups:
- True crime fans who watch every documentary going and fancy trying it themselves.
- Couples looking for a properly different date night — far better than another film.
- Families with teens 14+ wanting a screen-free evening that genuinely engages everyone.
- Friend groups planning a relaxed dinner party with something to talk about.
- Anyone who’s a bit of a nightmare to buy for — especially as a Christmas or birthday gift.
It’s also become one of those games that gets pulled back out — once you’ve played it yourself, it’s brilliant to introduce to friends who haven’t tried it. You won’t be able to solve it again, but you’ll absolutely enjoy watching them work through it.
Does it make a good gift?
It’s genuinely one of the best gifts we’ve bought in the last few years, particularly for tweens and teens who are starting to outgrow traditional toys but still love a project.
The packaging looks fantastic wrapped up under the tree, and unlike most games it doesn’t need anyone else in the family to commit to playing, they can crack it on their own if they want to.
It also makes a brilliant stocking filler for slightly older recipients or a quirky Secret Santa pick at work for anyone who’s into puzzles or murder mysteries.
The verdict
After playing it from start to finish, here’s our honest take on what works brilliantly and the few small things to be aware of:
What we loved
- Outstanding presentation — the case file format genuinely feels like the real thing.
- Properly clever puzzle design — every clue matters, nothing is filler.
- Online answer checks mean no spoilers if you get something wrong.
- Excellent value for money compared to escape room games at similar price points.
- Works equally well solo, as a couple, or as a group.
Things to know before you buy
- You can only solve each case once — there’s no replay value for the same player.
- You’ll need internet access (a phone is fine) to check answers as you go.
- Block out an evening — it’s not really a ‘quick game’ format.
None of those are dealbreakers in our view, but worth knowing going in.
Where to buy in the UK
The easiest place to grab a copy in the UK is Amazon, where it tends to sit at the most competitive price. It’s also stocked at various UK board game specialists, Menkind and occasionally pops up on Argos and similar high-street sites.
If you’re ready to crack the case, you can pick it up on Amazon UK and have it wrapped, ripped open and laid across your dining table by the weekend.
Before you buy: Harmony Ashcroft FAQs
Is the Unsolved Case Files Game Harmony Ashcroft worth buying?
Yes, for the £17 to £25 price point, you get an evening (or two) of properly engaging entertainment that beats most board games for sheer immersion. If you enjoy true crime, escape rooms or detective fiction, it’s a near-certain hit.
Can you play it more than once?
Not really, once you’ve solved the case, you know the answer, so the same person can’t replay it. However, it’s brilliant to pass on to friends or family who haven’t played it and you can watch them work through it without spoiling anything.
Do you need the internet to play?
Yes, you need internet access to visit the official Unsolved Case Files answer page and check your solutions for each objective. A phone is perfectly fine; you don’t need a computer.
Is it scary or gory?
No. The themes are dark (it is a murder mystery), but the evidence and presentation are clever rather than graphic. There’s nothing visually disturbing in the contents, it relies on documents, photographs and deduction rather than shock value.
What’s the best Unsolved Case Files game to start with?
Harmony Ashcroft is widely considered the best starting point, it was the very first game in the series and remains one of the strongest. The difficulty is pitched perfectly for newcomers and the case has the most satisfying overall structure.
The bottom line
If you’ve been eyeing this one up and wondering whether it lives up to the hype, yes, it absolutely does. It’s clever, beautifully presented, brilliantly priced and almost guaranteed to spark a proper conversation around your kitchen table.
We’ve recommended it to half our friends since playing and not one has come back disappointed.
The question really is… can you work out who killed Harmony Ashcroft?
