In 2016, brothers Jason Brannon and Shawn Brannon opened Deadbolt Escape Rooms in Tupelo, MS. Over the next couple of years, they would write and build many escape rooms, enjoying the excitement of those who walked inside the attraction.

Almost two years later in February 2018, they launched The Deadbolt Mystery Society, a murder mystery game subscription service. The games blended puzzle-solving from escape rooms with the investigation of a crime show. The Deadbolt Mystery Society games allowed people all around the world to enjoy the entertainment experiences, while the escape room required participants to be on location.

When the world experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Deadbolt Escape Rooms permanently closed, and the brothers turned their full focus to The Deadbolt Mystery Society.

Through the years, with the addition of incredible team members in many different facets of the business, The Deadbolt Mystery Society has produced over 100 mysteries, books, and a podcast (The Warwick Recordings). The company has worked with Amazon Studios and been featured in Buzzfeed, USA TODAY, CNN, Yahoo, AOL, The New York Times, just to name a few.

With the release of The Warwick Recordings podcasting 2024 written by Jason Brannon, the podcast was the #1 Fiction podcast on Spotify in Great Britain and continues to climb the charts on Apple Podcasts in the United States, having made the Top 5 Drama podcast and Top 12 Fiction podcast on the platform.

Meet some of our team

Adam Preston

Adam, sometimes called The Professor, is a writer/game designer who loves finding ways to incorporate riddles and brain teasers into his work. Adam was originally a teacher who worked at Deadbolt Escape Rooms on the weekends. Then, one day, he decided teaching middle school math wasn’t for him anymore and became the first official addition to the DMS writing and puzzle-creating team, making him the longest tenured DMS team member.  Adam is an avid gamer and puzzle enthusiast; there are over 50 wooden and metal puzzles in his office right now. When not working to create awesome mysteries, Adam is at home gaming with his four kids. They still can’t beat him or his wife in Mario Kart, but they are getting closer.

Favorite Boxes: "The Strange Occurrence at Crown House" and "Comic Book Killer" 

Elizabeth Sword

Elizabeth is the resident graphic designer of DMS. She graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in Art. She enjoys drawing and painting but graphic design is currently her primary creative outlet. She is jokingly known as the “vampire” of the group as she loves everything spooky and often wears dark clothing. Off the clock she enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with her son, Sean, and hanging out with her family, friends, and three cats.

Favorite Box: "Monster Mash"

Amy Stone

Amy is the weekend customer support agent for DMS. Whether it's assisting customers with their accounts, giving puzzle hints, or answering general questions about DMS, she is at your service. Not only can you find her behind the DMS keyboard, but you can also find her moonlighting in the DMS packing facility during the week. Outside of DMS, she teaches first grade, but when school's not in session, she loves to travel and spend time with her kids and dogs. Escape rooms, true crime, and loaded teas are three of her favorite things. 

Favorite Box:  "Fall of the House of Asher"

Edward Smith

Edward is the DMS shipping manager and day packing crew manager. He started with DMS in 2021, bringing with him 34 years of retail experience (22 of those as a Loss Prevention Auditor). He has also collaborated with an internal team to help create two DMS mini mysteries.  With a passion for grilling and BBQ, Edward is a true foodie; he and his wife even have an award-winning competition BBQ team. Another of his passions is spending time with family, including his four children and 10 amazing grandchildren.

Favorite Box: "Nick Groff's Ghost Hunt:  The Cleansing of Killian House"

Jason Brannon and Shawn Brannon

Jason is co-founder of The Deadbolt Mystery Society and serves as the DMS Creative Director.  He is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a degree in Business Administration and has more than 30 years of writing and publishing experience, including over 100 published short stories, numerous collections, and five novels.  His fiction has been translated into German and even optioned for film.  Writing for The Deadbolt Mystery Society is now his primary gig which means he knows where all the bodies in Valley Falls are buried.  When not devising new and inventive ways to uncover the misdeeds of serial killers, Jason enjoys rock concerts (the louder the better), playing guitar, breaking out of escape rooms, and video games.  

Favorite Box:  "Ashes to Ashes"

Shawn is co-founder of The Deadbolt Mystery Society and serves as the DMS Marketing Director. He is a graduate of Itawamba Community College and The University of Mississippi with a degree in Exercise Science. He continued his education at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center where he studied Physical Therapy. After school, he opened multiple businesses before having The Deadbolt Mystery Society become his career. While content creation, partnerships, and other marketing avenues might be his primary focuses now, Shawn has been involved in every facet of the business. Outside of working at a fun company, he enjoys traveling, hiking, going to concerts with his brother, playing video games, paranormal investigating, and meeting new people.

Favorite Box: “The Game Show Murders”