The Host

From: di.ejones@nethermore.pd

To: rita@marlowedetectiveagency.com

Subject: Operation Bramble Case Files

Hi Rita,

As discussed in our previous meeting, Operation Bramble (Case Number: #09573294) is now considered a cold case. We appreciate your assistance as we shift to focusing on other investigations. Enclosed are the evidence files you requested. Any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

Best,

Detective Inspector Edward Jones

Nethermore Police Department

Airbnb listing for Bramble Cottage

Entire cottage in Little Chalbrook, United Kingdom

2 bedrooms - 1 bathroom - Pets allowed - Hosted by Victoria

This beautiful and charming property is perfect for a romantic weekend away or a solo stay to unplug and unwind. Located just a short drive from the historic town of Nethermore, Bramble Cottage offers stunning countryside views and the opportunity to get away from it all.

23rd April 2025 - IMPORTANT UPDATE:

The second bedroom is currently locked and not accessible. It is currently unsafe and needs renovating. I apologize for this inconvenience.

Airbnb statement, 6th March 2026:

This property has been removed from our site for breaking terms of service. If you have been impacted negatively after a stay at this property, please contact us.

Selection of Airbnb reviews

Sophia - May 2024 - 5 stars

Stayed here for our anniversary and it was lovely! The property and surrounding land are beautiful and Victoria provided everything we needed for our stay. Would definitely recommend!

Victoria replied:

Hi Sophia,

Thanks so much for your positive review. I’m glad Bramble Cottage could be a part of your special day.

Tom - October 2024 - 5 stars

A great little place for a weekend away. Good location and the house itself has a lot of character and charm.

Victoria replied:

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the nice review! You are welcome back anytime.

Josephine - April 2025 - 4 stars

We have stayed here several times and enjoyed it very much, but the listing here is a little confusing. We had previously stayed here with our granddaughter, who slept in the second bedroom and loved it. On a recent stay, we hoped to bring her again, but Victoria insisted the bedroom is not safe for use. A great place, but the description should be updated - there aren’t two bedrooms if you can’t use one!

Victoria replied:

Hi Josephine,

I’m glad you enjoyed your recent stay at Bramble Cottage. I can only apologise once again for the second bedroom being inaccessible, and I have amended the property listing to reflect this. Thanks for your feedback.

Colin - September 2025 - 2 stars

Really lovely house but it has some issues which unfortunately impacted our stay. We heard odd scratching sounds coming from the second bedroom, which was kept locked. The host claimed it was pipes, but pipes don’t sound like that.

Victoria replied:

Hi Colin,

The cottage is very old (as is the plumbing!) and hence can make strange noises at times. I’m sorry that it impacted your stay. Many guests find the house’s quirks charming :)

Jessica - January 2026 - 1 star

This listing is completely inaccurate. The whole two bedrooms thing is really confusing. The host said that the second bedroom would be locked, but it wasn’t. I tried to open the door out of curiosity and it was unlocked! Went inside and the bedroom looked perfectly fine, though it was freezing cold in there.

Victoria replied:

Hi Jessica,

I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy your stay. However, as you explicitly disregarded the house rules and went into the second bedroom, I will have to charge you an additional fee. Payment will be taken in the next 24 hours.

Article from the Nethermore Chronicle, 18th June 2024

POLICE CLOSE INVESTIGATION OF LOCAL WRITER’S DEATH

The cause of death of John Beckett, 57, a Nethermore-based author, has officially been ruled as a cardiac episode, according to results released by the coroner’s office. Mr Beckett, who was well-known for his historical novels, was found dead in a holiday cottage in Little Chalbrook, having rented it out for the week to finish writing his latest book.

Authorities originally announced they were investigating ‘suspicious circumstances’ surrounding the death, but have now stated that the case is closed.

John’s daughter, Emily Beckett, has expressed her discomfort with Nethermore Police Department’s handling of the case.

“I accept the coroner’s medical findings, but there are many things about my father’s death that still do not add up. The police’s refusal to investigate further is deeply upsetting to my family and I.”

Article from Sky News, January 11th 2026

WOMAN, 42, KILLED IN FREAK MOTORWAY ACCIDENT

A mother-of-three has been killed in a road traffic incident on the M3 after suffering a suspected medical episode. Jessica O’Brien was driving home after a weekend away with her husband, Noah, in the village of Little Chalbrook, Nethermore. Noah O’Brien told police that his wife had a seizure while driving at 70 mph, and that their car collided with a HGV after she lost control of the vehicle. She did not have any known prior medical issues. She was pronounced dead on arrival by paramedics who attended the incident. Noah O’Brien and the driver of the HGV were both unharmed.

Communication between Lucy Phillips and Victoria Agramonte, 28th February 2026

09:32

Victoria:

Hello Lucy! I hope you’re looking forward to your stay at Bramble Cottage. Self check-in is very simple - the keys are in the lockbox on the left-hand side of the front door. The code to open the lockbox is 0666.

There are some house rules that I must stress you follow carefully. Please see below:

- Parties or events are not allowed

- If your dog barks at the kitchen door after 10pm, please vacate the property immediately

- The bathroom light must be left on at all times

- As a reminder, the second bedroom is currently out of bounds due to safety issues

- Bramble Cottage is a smoke-free property (this includes e-cigarettes)

I hope that you have a very enjoyable stay, and if you need anything at all, please just shoot me a message :)

15:17

Lucy:

Hi Victoria - I’ve just checked in, all good here! The cottage is lovely - Coco and I are settled in and looking forward to exploring the area.

22:08

Lucy:

Sorry to message so late, but I had a quick question. The bathroom light is shining through the gap under the door and making it hard for me to sleep. Would it be okay to turn it off just overnight?

22:32

Victoria:

Please do not turn the bathroom light off under any circumstances, Lucy. This is vital.

22:44

Lucy:

Ahhh Victoria, I’m so sorry. I was really struggling to sleep so just turned it off for a little while. I’ll turn it back on now!

22:45

Victoria:

How long was the light off, Lucy?

22:45

Lucy:

About twenty minutes?

22:46

Victoria:

Then it’s too late.

Police report, filed by PC Joe Roth

Responded to a 999 call made by Victoria Agramonte, a holiday cottage owner, who had told the operator that a guest staying in her property had died.

I arrived to find Agramonte standing outside on the driveway. She had seemingly made no attempt to enter the property and refused to go further than the front door. She informed me that her guest was inside, and had died. I asked if she had been inside, to which she said no, so I further questioned how she knew her guest was dead. She did not answer, but insisted that I go inside.

I searched the property and the living room, kitchen and master bedroom were all clear. The bathroom was empty, but a small amount of blood was found on the shower tiles. I then found a small dog at the end of the upstairs hallway, whimpering outside a closed door. I opened the door to find a second bedroom, in which Lucy Phillips was lying face down on the carpet. I confirmed that she was deceased - she had no pulse, was not breathing, and her skin was cold. She had no obvious injuries and there were no immediate signs of foul play, or of any other person having been in the house.

Excerpt from police interview transcript with Victoria Agramonte, conducted by Detective Inspector Edward Jones

DIJ: Can you tell us why you didn’t want guests in the second bedroom?

VA: It wasn’t safe.

DIJ: In what way was it not safe?

VA: The floorboards are old and unstable. They need replacing.

DIJ: So, you believe that the bedroom is unsafe for guests to use?

VA: Yes.

DIJ: Here’s the thing, Victoria. We had a surveyor come out and do an assessment. The whole property, including the second bedroom, is perfectly safe. The surveyor did not identify any glaring safety issues - in fact, he said the floorboards looked brand new.

VA: [inaudible]

DIJ: [inaudible]

DIJ: What can you tell us about John Beckett?

VA: He stayed at the cottage in 2024. It was a very sad incident, but I spoke to the police at the time. I’m not sure what else you want me to say.

DIJ: How long have you been renting out the cottage?

VA: About two hundred years.

DIJ: Excuse me?

VA: Sorry, sorry. I don’t know why I said that. Sometimes I make jokes when I’m nervous.

DIJ: We’re discussing something very serious here, Miss Agramonte.

VA: I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been renting it out for around three years.

DIJ: Ok, three years, and you’ve had two guests die in the property? Isn't that sort of strange?

VA: People die every day, in all sorts of places.

DIJ: Just seems odd to me. My brother’s been running a bed and breakfast for fifteen years, you know. Never had a guest die.

VA: [inaudible]

Post-mortem report of Lucy Phillips

Cause of death: Undetermined

Despite external cooling of the body, the internal temperature was significantly elevated. Unidentified black substance found in lung cavities. Unusual markings observed on the skin.

Examiner’s note: In my almost thirty years of practice, I have never encountered a case like this. Due to the unusual condition of the remains, I recommend immediate cremation and that specific details of the case not be released to the media.