Hunt a Killer is a monthly mystery box that allows you to enter the mind of a serial killer while he taunts you from afar. Through a series of boxes, you'll receive clues that you will carefully interpret and analyze, embark on a journey of deceit, betrayal, and rampage while putting your crime-solving skills to the test.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
This review is of the Hunt a Killer Episode 1, $30.00 a month, box. All subscribers receive Episode 1 as their first box, so although the mystery will not be spoiled in this review, clues from this box will be revealed.
The Subscription Box: Hunt a Killer
The Cost: $30.00 a month
The Products: The products you receive are a complete mystery month to month. Use each box's clues to solve a series of crimes.
Ships to: Worldwide from the U.S.
Check out our Subscription Box Directory for more mystery and crime-themed boxes!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Upon inspecting each item in the box, they are seemingly pretty random. It's up to you to decipher their meaning!
Each box comes with an info card. It explains a bit more about the process, what to expect, and how to go about interpreting your clues.
You are encouraged to pay special attention to particularly revealing pieces of evidence and character context clues to uncover the large mystery at the end of each season.
An additional bookmark-sized card details the number of items you are to expect in each box. List them out to keep track.
Hunt a Killer also invites you to share your experience and tag them on Facebook and Instagram for a chance to win your next month free. They also offer a private Facebook group for subscribers to work together to ask questions and solve the clues.
Since this review is for the first box in the season, Episode 1, a journal is included to take notes on your investigations throughout the experience. You can use it to draw connections and easily move back and forth between episodes.
The journal is about the size of my hand, and I could tell upon opening this box that a notebook would be super handy to jot down ideas.
The first item I noticed in this box is a Hunt a Killer logo pin. I assume that this is separate from the box's crime-related clues, but only time will tell.
I love adding pins to my denim jacket, so I'll definitely make this a new addition if I enjoy Hunt a Killer as much as I think I will. Gotta represent and show that you're a true fan! Or maybe this IS a clue... ?
The first noticeable item demanding attention is a letter addressed to "Listening Friend." It explains that you are about to make a difference in someone's life and "begin a very unique and special relationship." Intriguing!
A large envelope is also included with "...Listening Friends of America" in the left corner. Based on this and the letter's header, it appears to be where this box is coming from (in the fictional world of Hunt a Killer). Inside are several key items.
This square prints depicts a swan, and is actually quite pretty. At this point, I still had no idea what to make of it, though.
There's also a small, flattened paper cup with no markings. Strange. However, an inanimate object as bland as a Dixie cup acting as a potential murder clue really started to make my wheels turn. I love true crime podcasts and shows like Dateline, so feeling like I'm part of that world in a small way is pretty thrilling.
Next up is a letter addressed simply to "Friend."
The enclosed letter is written by a very obviously isolated and lonely individual. The suspense definitely builds upon reading! Who is this person, and why do they call me a friend? Where is this package coming from, and why must it be inspected for hazardous materials? What am I getting myself into here?
The plot thickens with an article regarding a sinkhole collapsing. Upon Googling the headline, you find a real article from July 2016 in the Baltimore Sun. This is when you come to find that the cratering occurred on Mulberry Street - in the letter you receive, all indications of location are blacked out. I really sort of spiraled here attempting to look up various articles about this 'Mulberry street sinkhole.' I guess that's the point - research! - but staying afloat certainly requires a healthy attention span.
The most visually-appealing clue: this beautiful blue constellation card. It's a similar paper weight and illustration style to "The Swan." card which leads me to believe that these two areas may be connected. In my digging, I came to find that there is actually a swan constellation called Cygnus, and, whatdoyaknow, Cygnus is found at the top of the constellation card. Different horizon lines (I think?) are pictured for New Orleans, Louisville, Philadelphia, and Boston. Down the center is "Horizon of London, (Eng.)," but, honestly, it's hard to tell what any of this means, and I'm pretty lost.
On the back of the constellation card is a small plastic strip taped down to the very center. Both the plastic and tape are identical in color to the indigo of the card. What does it all mean? Is the plastic intended to be used as a tool of some sort? How does it relate to the horizons and various constellations depicted?
At this point, I knew that the sinkhole incident had occurred in Boston, more specifically on Mulberry Street, so it seems significant that Boston is represented on the constellation card.
I'm also wracking my brain trying to figure what the 10 items are. The Hunt a Killer info card notes that my package contains exactly 10 items, but does that include the Hunt a Killer literature that details the process? The pin? Does it include the plastic taped to the back of the constellation card? So many questions... but I love it!
Verdict: This box is made for the amateur sleuth. There are so many clues to investigate - it's just all about how far you want to go. I love games that allow for that sense of control and suspense. It's like, 'Ball's in your court, now put the puzzle together! It's all on you!' Granted, there are tons of spoilers out there to help you along if you choose to utilize them. I came across some message boards, YouTube videos, and other forums throughout my quest. For $30.00, this was a fun intro, and I look forward to continuing to piece together each clue on my own as the story builds.
Did Hunt a Killer Episode 1 intrigue you? What clues do you find to be most interesting?
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