For the family in Kent
Contents
2 The House of the Sacred Flame
3 Death of an Ecstatic Spinster
8 The Temperament of M. de Ravigne
10 A Piece of Paper and a Bottle
11 Contents of a Desk, a Safe, and a Bookcase
15 Father Garnette Explores the Contents of a Mareâs Nest
16 Mr Ogden Puts his Trust in Policemen
17 Mr Ogden Grows Less Trustful
18 Contribution from Miss Wade
| Jasper Garnette | Officiating priest of the House of the Sacred Flame |
| The Seven Initiates |
 |
Samuel J. Ogden Raoul de Ravigne Cara Quayne Maurice Pringle Janey Jenkins Ernestine Wade Dagmar Candour | Warden of the House. A commercial gentleman Warden of the House. A dilettante The Chosen Vessel Engaged to Janey Jenkins The youngest initiate Probably the oldest initiate Widow |
| Claude Wheatley | An acolyte |
| Lionel Smith | An acolyte |
| Dr Nicholas Kasbek | An onlooker |
| The Doorkeeper of the House | |
| Edith Laura Hebborn | Cara Quayneâs old nurse |
| Wilson | Her parlourmaid |
| Mr Rattisbon | Her solicitor |
| Elsie | Mr Ogdenâs housemaid |
| Chief Detective-Inspector Alleyn | Criminal Investigation Department, Scotland Yard |
| Detective-Inspector Fox | His assistant |
| Detective-Sergeant Bailey | His fingerprint expert |
| Dr Curtis | His Divisional Surgeon |
| Nigel Bathgate | His Watson |
In case the House of the Sacred Flame might be thought to bear a superficial resemblance to any existing church or institution, I hasten to say that if any similarity exists it is purely fortuitous. The House of the Sacred Flame, its officials, and its congregation are all imaginative and exist only in Knocklatchers Row. None, as far as I am aware, has any prototype in any part of the world.
My grateful thanks are due to Robin Page for his advice in the matter of sodium cyanide; to Guy Cotterill for the plan of the House of the Sacred Flame, and to Robin Adamson for his fiendish ingenuity in the matter of home-brewed poisons.
NGAIO MARSH
Christchurch, New Zealand