# Joseph Haldorn — The Dain Curse character guide

> Joseph Haldorn in The Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Joseph, Haldorn

**First appearance:** 0013-x-dead-flowers

## Snapshot

A cult prophet whose staged visions and doctored gas convinced wealthy followers he could speak for the dead — until his own delusions outran the con.

## Who they are

Joseph Haldorn runs a small, well-heeled Gaelic-revival church in San Francisco with his wife, Aaronia, and a stage mechanic named Fink, and he has learned that a handful of rich believers is worth more than a mob. His interest in the young Gabrielle Leggett is not entirely financial, and his success at flimflamming his flock has convinced him he can get away with anything. That swelling self-belief is what turns a tidy racket into something far more dangerous.

## In the story

### [Part II: The Temple](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_dain_curse_se/chapters/part-ii-the-temple)

Joseph Haldorn is the leader of the Temple, presenting himself as a spiritual guide while hiding ulterior motives.

### [XI: God](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_dain_curse_se/chapters/xi-god)

Claims to be God, advances on the narrator despite being shot, and is killed with a dagger.

### [XII: The Unholy Grail](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_dain_curse_se/chapters/xii-the-unholy-grail)

The cult leader who went mad, attempted to murder his wife on the altar, and was killed by the Op after seven bullets failed to stop him.

### [Part III: Quesada](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_dain_curse_se/chapters/part-iii-quesada)

Leader of the Temple of the Holy Grail cult, implicated in the crimes.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_dain_curse_se/characters/joseph_haldorn
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_dain_curse_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_dain_curse_se/characters