Round-up
The best murder mystery games on iPhone
By Joel Rightler · Updated 2026-10-19
Every game here is built around a killing and the question of who did it. They split cleanly into two camps: the ones that make you accuse somebody and live with it, and the ones that walk you to the answer through puzzles. Both are fine. They are just not the same evening.
Accusation games and puzzle games
An accusation game asks you to commit: name the person, and be wrong if you are wrong. A puzzle game uses hidden objects or match-3 to pace a murder plot, and the story resolves whether or not you worked it out. The entries below say which one each game is, because that single difference decides whether you will enjoy it.
The games
1 of 8
Unread: Phone Detective OURS
What you do: You are sent a murder victim’s recovered phone and solve the case by reading what is on it: messages, photos, voicemails, browser history and a locked vault app.
How a case ends: One accusation across six axes (who, what, when, where, how, why), scored into verdict tiers. You get one shot.
Cost: No upfront price. The tutorial case and the first full case are included and stay yours; every case after those two needs Unread Pro or a $4.99 single-case unlock.
By J&B Creations LLC · iOS and Android
2 of 8
Clue: Classic Edition
What you do: The board game in 3D: move through the Tudor Mansion rooms, make suggestions, and eliminate possibilities against AI or online opponents.
How a case ends: A formal accusation of suspect, weapon and room. Get it wrong and you are out, which is the closest thing here to Unread one-shot structure.
Cost: Paid, $5.99 up front on the App Store.
Marmalade Game Studio Limited · rated 4.71 from 35,822 ratings · 12+ · updated 2025-07-21 · App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19
3 of 8
Criminal Case: Hidden Objects
What you do: Hidden-object crime scenes: search hand-drawn locations against the clock, run lab analysis on what you find, interrogate suspects, then make the arrest.
How a case ends: Each case closes with an arrest once the evidence lines up. Energy and star systems pace how fast you can play.
Cost: No upfront price, with in-app purchases listed.
Pretty Simple · rated 4.66 from 35,949 ratings · 17+ · updated 2026-08-17 · App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19
4 of 8
Murder in Alps: Hidden Mystery
What you do: An interactive 1930s crime novel built around hidden-object scenes, set in and around an Alpine hotel.
How a case ends: Story chapters resolve as you work through them; the hidden-object scenes gate the narrative rather than scoring you.
Cost: No upfront price, with in-app purchases listed.
Nordcurrent UAB · rated 4.31 from 109,796 ratings · 12+ · updated 2026-02-12 · App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19
5 of 8
Murder by Choice: Mystery Game
What you do: A present-day murder mystery on a tropical island: hunt for clues and gather evidence as journalist Carla Page, through hidden-object scenes.
How a case ends: You work out who is behind the crime as the chapters play out.
Cost: No upfront price, with in-app purchases listed.
Nordcurrent UAB · rated 4.33 from 24,515 ratings · 12+ · updated 2026-04-15 · App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19
6 of 8
Who Is The Killer (Episode I)
What you do: An open-ended investigation puzzle: you question and dig at your own pace rather than following a fixed path.
How a case ends: You name the killer yourself. The listing shows no update since January 2017.
Cost: No upfront price, with in-app purchases listed.
Long Jaunt Ltd · rated 4.17 from 25,289 ratings · 9+ · updated 2017-01-17 · App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19
7 of 8
Homicide Squad: Hidden Objects
What you do: Hidden-object and match-3 crime scenes strung together into murder investigations.
How a case ends: Cases close as you clear their scenes; the puzzle is the gate, not a deduction.
Cost: No upfront price, with in-app purchases listed.
G5 Entertainment AB · rated 4.54 from 57,547 ratings · 9+ · updated 2026-10-02 · App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19
8 of 8
Small Town Murders: Match 3
What you do: Match-3 puzzles that unlock the next beat of a murder mystery in the town of Thornton Grove.
How a case ends: The story resolves across chapters. The listing shows no update since September 2023.
Cost: No upfront price, with in-app purchases listed.
Rovio Entertainment Oyj · rated 4.59 from 35,624 ratings · 9+ · updated 2023-09-27 · App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19
Which one to start with
For a real accusation with consequences, Unread and Clue are the two that make you commit, and Clue is the only paid game on this list. For a long-running series with hundreds of cases, Criminal Case. For a period piece, Murder in Alps.
Unread is our own game, which is why it is marked. Every other app here is described from its own App Store listing, checked 2026-10-19; ratings and prices move, so check the listing before relying on them. We take nothing for the recommendations.