Editing Cards on the Table (section)

==Principal characters==
* Mr Shaitana – Wealthy man with a fascination for murders and murderers. In Hindi, शैतान ('Shaitana') can refer to Satan or the devil.<ref>{{Cite web |title=English translation of 'शैतान' as mischievous or Satan |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/hindi-english/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8 |access-date=30 March 2022 |website=Collins}}</ref> The first victim of the case
* [[Hercule Poirot]] – Belgian private detective. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party
* [[Ariadne Oliver]] – Crime fiction writer, and Poirot's friend. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party
* [[Superintendent Battle]] – Detective from Scotland Yard. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party
* [[Colonel Race]] – Secret Service agent. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party
* Dr Geoffrey Roberts – Physician. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party who may have killed one of his own patients
* Mrs Lorrimer – Widow and expert bridge player. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party who may have killed her husband. The second victim of the case
* Major John Despard – Explorer and hunter. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party who may have shot and killed someone while on an expedition
* Anne Meredith – A young woman, formerly a personal companion. A guest at Shaitana's dinner party who may have killed one of her employers. She dies from drowning during the case
* Rhoda Dawes – Anne's wealthy friend and flatmate
* Mrs Luxmore – A widow whose husband died in suspicious circumstances in South America.