The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes · Character
Professor Moriarty
A former mathematics professor who orchestrates half of London's undetected crime, sitting motionless at the center of a vast criminal web.
major
Also known as Moriarty
First appearance: The Final Problem
As a major figure in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, Professor Moriarty is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Introduced as Holmes's arch-nemesis; a mathematical genius turned criminal mastermind; confronts Holmes at Baker Street and later pursues him to Switzerland.
Moriarty is a man of good birth and brilliant mathematical faculty whose hereditary criminal strain turned his gifts toward organizing evil. He does little himself, only plans, and his agents are numerous and splendidly organized; Holmes calls him the Napoleon of crime. His presence transforms the memoirs from a series of puzzles into a war, and Holmes admits that to beat this man would be the summit of his career—the one adversary worth risking everything for.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
6 connectionsA slice of how Professor Moriarty sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Rivalry
- Other
Character groups
- Yellow Face secret
- Protagonist
- Silver Blaze case
+1 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Resolution.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In this excerpt, the narrative climax is marked by Watson’s psychological peak of self-conscious frustration a…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Sherlock Holmes
rivalry · negative
Professor Moriarty is Holmes's arch-nemesis, a criminal mastermind locked in a deadly… How this plays out →
- Sherlock Holmes
rivalry · negative
Professor Moriarty is Holmes's arch-nemesis, a criminal mastermind locked in a deadly… How this plays out →
- Sherlock Holmes
rivalry · negative
Professor Moriarty is Holmes's arch-nemesis, a criminal mastermind locked in a deadly… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Professor Moriarty in The Final ProblemIn the story
Professor Moriarty appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Professor Moriarty unlock in the free preview.
See Professor Moriarty in The Final Problem