All The Final Problem

The Final Problem

The events of The Final Problem Watson tell us occurred in April/May 1891. It is one of 11 Sherlock Holmes short stories in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes and was first published in The Strand Magazine in 1893. In this story Holmes introduces Watson to the role and influence of Professor Moriarty ‘the Napoleon of Crime’. Holmes appears at Watson’s consulting room having narrowly escaped death at the hands of Moriarty’s henchmen. Holmes needs to leave England to allow the police to arrest the whole gang but keep himself safe so he can return and give damning evidence against them. He persuades Watson to leave with him for the Continent, a journey that we all know will end at the Reichenbach Falls.