Question 1

Can we play tonight?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The case unlocks the second you pay and there is no time slot to reserve. Buy at 7pm, walk to the starting point, and you'll be working the first clue within the half hour. If tonight falls through, it stays in your account.

Question 2

Do we need to download an app?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the free Questo app on iOS or Android, about a 2-minute download. Buy on this page, open the app, and the case is waiting in your account. Grab it at home on Wi-Fi; the route itself runs fine on normal mobile data.

Question 3

Is this a walking tour?

Accepted Answer

No. There's no guide, no group and no set time. It's a self-guided game: you unlock the case, walk the 2.3 km route on your own schedule, and everyone in your party gets clues on their own phone. Closer to an escape room than to a walking tour of Palmerston North.

Question 4

What if it rains?

Accepted Answer

Nothing is booked, so you simply play another evening. The case does not expire. If weather turns mid-game, pause it, get inside, and resume from the same point later. If you haven't started yet, take a full refund instead.

Question 5

We're more than five. How does that work?

Accepted Answer

The Fellowship covers up to 5 phones for $52.99 ($10.60 each). Bigger groups usually share a phone between two, or add a second pass and run two teams on the same case. That's the better version, and the Palmerston North leaderboard settles it.

Question 6

Where does it start?

Accepted Answer

Point 1 is at Point 1 · The Grand Hotel Building Level 2 41-45 The Square and, and the route finishes at Point 12 · 424A Main Street, a 2.3 km route with 12 challenge locations. The exact spot, with a photo, appears in the app the moment you unlock.

Question 7

Is it scary or kid-appropriate?

Accepted Answer

It's a whodunit, not a horror game: no jump scares, no gore, nothing chasing you. Kids usually spot the clues faster than the adults. Younger children can walk along, though the deduction will be over their heads.

Question 8

Can we play at night?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and the case plays best after dark. Bring a charged phone; the route stays on public streets and squares, and it's roughly 2990 steps in total.

Question 9

Can I give this as a gift?

Accepted Answer

Yes, gift the case and the person you send it to picks their own evening, in Palmerston North or in any of the other cities it runs in. It doesn't expire, so it works for a birthday, a hen do, an anniversary or a team night out. They'll need the free Questo app to play.

Experience	This quest	Escape room
Setting	An outdoor route through the city	An indoor setting designed for the game
Playing together	Use your own phones to team up or compete	Solve challenges together in the room
Pace	Check this quest’s playing modes and access hours	Usually a booked session with a time limit
Price	Choose device access above to see your total	Prices and group sizes vary by venue

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Palmerston North

Choose your pass

The story starts here.

Highlights

They went outside.
Here’s what stayed with them.

Palmerston North

Pick it. Open it. Play.

Choose your access

Open the Questo app

Head to the start

Like an escape room. Outside.

Good to know before you play

Created by Questo Originals.

Every quest. One year.

A day out, gifted.

A citywide case for mystery and escape-room fans