2026 Finalists - Mystery Guides
We’re excited to spotlight Jack Wells, founder of Mystery Guides, a finalist in this year’s Gift of the Year Awards.
What started as childhood adventures exploring the streets of Old Portsmouth with his father has grown into a truly unique gifting experience enjoyed by thousands across the UK. Mystery Guides are immersive treasure hunt books that invite users to follow clues, uncover hidden gems, and discover real treasure at the end — turning a simple day out into a memorable adventure.
Now available in 40 cities nationwide and with almost one million copies sold, Mystery Guides have captured the imagination of gift-givers and explorers alike. Combining storytelling, problem-solving, and a sense of discovery, Jack’s creation offers something rare — a meaningful experience that brings people closer together.
Company Name: Mystery Guides
Product(s) in the Finalist: Mystery Guides
Congratulations on being a finalist! How does it feel to be recognised in this year’s Gift of the Year awards? I'm so proud to be a finalist because it is an award that specifically recognises GIFTS... (and I genuinely believe that a Mystery Guide is the best gift in the country for £20 :) )
I often tell people... "What else can you buy someone for £20 that gives as much joy as this?" ... and now being a finalist in this category gives me the great feeling that I might be right :)
Can you tell us a little about your brand and the inspiration behind your successful product? A Mystery Guide is a small book that takes people on a treasure hunt adventure in cities across the UK... you've got to follow the story, solve the clues... and you'll find real hidden treasure at the end! And its origin story starts back when I was just 7 years old...
My dad was training to be a local tour guide, and would practice by taking me on adventures around the streets of Old Portsmouth. These memories stuck with me, and I wanted to share the feeling of those magical times with my dad with the rest of the world.
The first Mystery Guide (set in the very streets of Old Portsmouth that I'd explored as a child) launched in 2019, and I have since grown the collection to be in 40 cities around the UK - selling almost ONE MILLION copies (which is still hard to believe as I type those words!)
What makes your product special, and why do you think it stood out to the judges? Seriously... for £20, there is no other gift that compares to a Mystery Guide. You get to send them on an amazing day of outdoor adventure, where they discover hidden gems, work together, laugh together, and discover a surprising twist at the end that leaves them with a feel-good moral lesson and a huge smile on their face.
In this way, it's a gift that can change people's lives. It brings people closer together, encourages exercise, and gives people memories that they'll treasure for a lifetime.
If you buy one for someone, you'll get thanked for years to come... and it may even start them on a new hobby!
So it's not just a gift... it's a ticket to a community, new friends, and even a new positive outlook on life!
Who is your product designed for, and what kind of reaction have you had from customers so far? The majority of people who buy a Mystery Guide are female and aged over 50... but that is not necessarily the end user...
A Mystery Guide becomes a gift for all types of people, from spouses, siblings, grown up children, colleagues, bosses, neighbours... almost everyone! Any day, and in any city, if you look around the town centre you'll see a huge mix of people with a Mystery Guide in hand, having an awesome adventure together :)
... and the feedback has been incredible.
We are just about to pass 4,000 reviews on TripAdvisor, with a solid 5 star rating (which I am immensely proud of).
Our social media videos are full of amazing comments from happy customers, and I'm blown away by the overwhelmingly positive impact that Mystery Guides has brought to the country.
... and once people start doing Mystery Guides, they don't stop! People are doing them for every holiday they take - even travelling to destinations based on where there's a Mystery Guide! The ultimate positive feedback is people doing them again and again!
What trends or themes do you think are shaping the gifting industry right now? People want to gift experiences... not just 'things' that becomes clutter around the house. But experiences are generally quite expensive. That is why a Mystery Guide is so special, and sits as the perfect gift option in the £20 bracket.
There is also a shift away from buying alcohol as a gift - which surprisingly is a competitor to me in the gift market. Where people would traditionally buy dad a £20 bottle of whiskey, a Mystery Guide is a much healthier, more fulfilling gift option that could get him out of the house and give him a day out of fun with the family that he'll never forget!
How has being shortlisted, and now being a finalist impacted your brand so far, and what do you hope to achieve from the awards? Of all of the awards out there... the GIFT of the year award is the one that I want to win the most...
Yes, I have won TripAdvisor awards for best experience, and business awards for the huge growth of the business... but the whole success of Mystery Guides has been due to its positioning as the BEST gift on the market for £20.
Being able to proudly show that winning badge would cement the brand as the king of the £20 gift... which is exactly what I think Mystery Guides is :)
What exciting plans do you have for the future? I'm planning to continue to launch new Mystery Guides around the UK (people vote on new cities all the time!) ... and then there is the rest of the world! I genuinely believe that there is so much undiscovered magic all around us... we just need to take a minute to slow down and see it. And that is true for the whole world. So a Mystery Guides adventure should be available to all :)'
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received (or given), and why? The best gift for me was an experience (not a product) - which created a memory that I'll never forget... When I was growing up, my other love (aside from history) was horse racing, and I had dreams to become a jockey. For my 30th birthday my wife gifted me a horse racing experience where I rode a horse along a racetrack... an absolute dream come true!
As I said before... gifting someone a memory that they will cherish for the rest of their life is the ultimate win.
To find out more about Mystery Guides visit here - https://www.mysteryguides.co.uk/collections/upsell-collection
