Much of the historical detail is this novel is based on fact, and the monasteries mentioned are all real. In particular, the ossuary at Sedlec is much as I have described it, although far more impressive visually than I could convey in words. Anyone interested can pay a virtual visit through my website (www.johnconnolly.co.uk) but if you are lucky enough to find yourself in the Czech Republic, then Sedlec is worth a trip. I would like to express my thanks to the staff at the ossuary, to Vladimira Saiverova at the Philip Morris company (which now owns the monastery at Sedlec), and to my Czech guide Marcela Krskova for their kindness and assistance in researching the Sedlec sections of this book. I am also grateful to the wonderful Luis Urrea, author of The Devil’s Highway, for his help with matters of translation. As always, any mistakes are my fault, not theirs.
Finally, I would like to thank Sue Fletcher, my editor at Hodder & Stoughton, and Emily Bestler, my editor at Atria, for their kindness, advice, and support. Thanks also to Swati Gamble, Kerry Hood, Lucy Hale, Sarah Branham, Jodi Lipper, Audra Boltion, Judith Curr, Louise Burke, Karen Mender, Justin Loeber, and all the staff at both publishing houses who have done so much for my books; to Chuck Antony; to Darley Anderson and his staff, for looking out for me; to Heidi Mack, my wonderful web maven; to Megan Underwood, my lovely publicist; to my mother and Brian; and to Jennie, Cameron, and Alistair for, well, you know . . .
The following books and articles proved useful in my research:
BOOKS
Altova, Blanka—Sedlec Cistercian Monastery (Hora, 2001)
Aries, Philip—The Hour of Our Death (Knopf, 1981); Western Attitudes Toward Death (Marion Boyers, 1976)
Binski, Paul—Medieval Death: Ritual and Representation (British Museum Press, 1996)
Chlibec, Horyna, Jirasek, Novak, Pinkava—Memento Mori (Torst, 1998)
Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas—The Occult Roots of Nazism (Tauris Parke, 2004)
Heald, David and Kinder, Terry L.—Architecture of Silence: Cistercian Abbeys of France (Harry N. Abrams, 2000)
Henry, Mark R.—The US Army in World War II (Osprey, 2001)
Laughton, Rodney—Scarborough (Arcadia, 1996)
Leroux-Dhuys, Jean-François—Cistercian Abbeys: History and Architecture (Konemann,1998)
Levenda, Peter—Unholy Alliance (Second edition, Continuum, 2003)
Link, Luther—The Devil (Reaktion, 1995)
Pagels, Elaine—The Origins of Satan (Allen Lane, 1995)
Prophet, Elizabeth Clare—Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil (Summit University Press, 2000)
Tice, Paul (and Fra Poggius)—Hus the Heretic (Book Tree, 2003)
Tobin, Stephen—The Cistercians: Monks and Monasteries of Europe (Herbert Press, 1995)
ARTICLES
Duffy, Peter—“Blitzkrieg Cabbie” (New York Press, March 24–30, 2004)
Gray, Jeffrey—“Code of Quiet” (Village Voice, June 25, 2002)
Prout, Jade—“Mayhem & the Maine-iac” (Portland Phoenix, March 26, 2004)
Thompson, Ginger—“On Mexico’s Mean Streets, The Sinners Have a Saint” (New York Times, March 26, 2004)