LAKE PLACID -- The year is 1755. The place: A masquerade party at the home of the Countess in Venice. Guests arrive in costume depicting animals – the Unicorn, the Lion, the Stag, the Cat, the Dove, and so on.

They enjoy a delicious meal and fellowship.

But the festive social is disrupted by a shout. Someone has been murdered! Who could have done it? The gossip begins. Each guest appears to have not only a connection to the murder victim but also a motive to want him dead.

On June 1, Sugar Sand Distillery in Lake Placid invited guests to beat the summer heat with a Masquerade Murder Party. When they purchased tickets, each guest was assigned a character and provided with short biographical information.

At the event, each character had a script to follow and questions they could ask others in their search for clues.

The lively crowd had a great time playing their assigned characters and sharing gossip tips the scripts gave them about others present.

At the end of the night, participants were asked to write down the name of the murderer, the motive and what crucial clue led to this conclusion. The right answer merited a prize!

The party was such a success Sugar Sand owners are already plotting another murder mystery dinner for July!

Sugar Sand Distillery, 264 Henscratch Road in Lake Placid, makes rum from sugar cane grown on site. The  "farm-to-bottle" operation also makes whiskey, vodka, limoncello and moonshine.  The business is open Wednesday through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and offers tours.