The Return of Moriarty

John Gardner has written a trilogy dealing with Professor Moriarty (The Return of..., The Revenge of..., and simply, Moriarty (which came out this year.))

While I do enjoy his attention to details and reading about the details of the Napoleon of Crime and his empire, all three rely on one simple thing; Sherlock Holmes' forbearance.

Set almost immediately after The Adventure of the Empty House, "The Return of Moriarty" states that the Professor and the Great Detective had entered into "an understanding" where they will not engage each other. That doesn't sit well with me. From the canon we understand that Holmes would perish gladly if he could be sure that Moriarty was destroyed, but a few years later he's okay with a criminal empire being run in England? I might understand if the agreement kept Moriarty out of Great Britain, but not for this seeming acceptance by Holmes of Moriarty's evil.

Sherlock Holmes' passion for justice, and not the law, was always a major part of the character to me and this condonation seems anathema.

So, sadly, I have to give all three books a thumbs down. I didn't like them. (though I did read all three and what does that say about me?)