We may in be a worldwide pandemic, but that hasn't stopped Innisfil's Leigh Clements from hosting parties (virtually that is).
In fact, Clements has had her most successful year in business yet selling her murder mystery party games online to people all over the globe.
Clements started her business Shot in the Dark Mysteries in 2006, offering a twist on the traditional murder mystery party. Typically, murder mystery party hosts are not able to participate in the event, as they are the ones overseeing the party, setting the scene, and assigning characters.
However, Clements' games give hosts the option to take part in the fun too.
This is something Clements takes pride in, along with her creative storylines and characters for each mystery.
As a former journalist, she has a gift for storytelling.
"I was a fiction writer and they kind of frown on making stuff up when you're a journalist," joked Clements.
She was freelancing for travel magazines and other publications when she got the idea to start her murder mystery party business, where she uses her imagination to develop elaborate plots, characters, settings, and alternate endings.
She offers dozens of mystery parties ranging in themes from pirates to derbies and offers a series for kids and teens.
When asked where she gets all her story ideas from, she says it's something that "just happens".
"It takes on a mind of its own," she said about her writing.
Clements has a core group of five employees and uses the help of 20 freelancers to make her stories come to life with video production and illustration.
Pre-COVID, the company would host murder mystery soirees in downtown Barrie at the Speakcheasy.
"Our mandate as a company was bringing people together face to face to create memories that no one would ever forget," she said.
When COVID first hit last March, she wasn't sure what would happen with her business.
"It was a lot of pivoting and a lot of trial and error, but it ended up working out," she said.
Now, with most people stuck at home, business is booming with people looking for something fun to do while connecting with friends and family virtually.
Despite the current gathering restrictions, "you can't stop people from connecting," says Clements.
In 2020, she sold a total of 6,552 games online. Her best sellers were A Flapper: Murder at the 1920s Speakeasy, Murder at the 1980s Prom, and Murder in the Alps.
"I think what this (pandemic) has taught us as a company is that the spirit of people coming together can't be taken away from us, it's in our DNA, it's in our core to connect with one another," she said.
Last year the company launched a new product line called 'Instant Mysteries' where people can solve mysteries at home alone and most recently, she added a sleuth shop to her website filled with clothing for mystery lovers.
Clements has been living in Alcona for the past five years in a cottage-style home near the water. She has two kids ages 9 and 12, who attend school in Barrie.
"I wanted to be lakeside, and this place fell into my lap and we ended up staying," she said.
One of the reasons she believes her business has picked up over the past year is because people are looking for an escape from the current reality.
"During COVID, everyone needs that," she said, "even for just for a short period of time you get to step out of reality and into a bit of a fantasy... and I think that's very powerful right now."
To learn more about Shot in the Dark Mysteries, visit their website here.
