The Queen's Bedroom

Ledru Baker Jr., recognized as a noir master, presents The Queen's Bedroom in this novella originally featured in the August 1957 issue of Boris Karloff's Tales of the Frightened. The narrative follows a greedy grave robber who travels to Cairo with the intent of selling rare artifacts to museums. His path crosses with a colorful old Egyptologist and his beautiful daughter, which redirects his focus toward the cursed tomb of Queen Hetepheres. He seeks her legendary fortune in jewels, unaware that the site holds pure horror rather than wealth. This work belongs to the pulp horror tradition, drawing on gothic and supernatural fiction elements typical of mid-century genre magazines. The story structure relies on a linear quest narrative where personal greed drives the protagonist into a supernatural trap. It suits readers who enjoy classic horror tales with noir influences and those interested in the specific era of Boris Karloff's Tales of the Frightened publications. It may not appeal to readers seeking modern psychological horror or non-fiction accounts of Egyptian archaeology. The novella was published by Cutting Edge on February 10, 2021, under ISBN 9781952138812. It serves as a restoration of a long-lost text from the golden age of pulp fiction. The setting is strictly Cairo and the tomb of Queen Hetepheres. The characters include the grave robber, the Egyptologist, and his daughter. The themes revolve around greed, cursed artifacts, and supernatural retribution within a noir framework.