The Blue Room Murders
‘This,’ the guide gestured with his hands, ‘was once the parlour, where the Gunther family were known to entertain their distinguished guests. And it is speculated that here, the eldest Gunther, young Bertha was struck from behind and crawling to safety, died…’ They followed him into an adjacent room, ‘here.’ Rachel craned her neck with the others. The wide expanse at the bottom of the stairs gleamed; whatever horrors had come to pass here had left no discernible trace. There was a murmur of disappointment, and the guide continued undeterred: ‘it was then that Lady Gunther, alerted by Bertha’s screams came rushing to help, only to be pursued by the hell hound himself.’ They climbed the winding steps onto the landing and the guide paused in a dramatic display as if fending off an invisible attacker. The man beside Rachel snickered.