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Professor Moriarty is the lead character of the “Professor Moriarty” series of novels by English thriller and spy novelist John Gardner. The first novel of the series that introduced the Moriarty character was “The Return of Moriarty” that was first published in 1974. The series of novels are best classified as crime thrillers.
Order of Professor Moriarty Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Return of Moriarty | 1974 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Revenge of Moriarty | 1975 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Moriarty | 2008 | Description / Buy |
Professor Moriarty is introduced in the first novel of the series as a criminal mastermind with nefarious schemes. He has outlived and outfought most of the people that have tried to take him out including Sherlock Holmes ,whom he fought in a legendary battle. After so many battles he is finally on the cusp of establishing himself as one of the top criminal bosses with syndicates all across the Western world.
“The Return of Moriarty” the first novel of the series is set at the turn of the century where Professor Moriarty is just coming back from his legendary fight at Reichenbach Fall. He had finally succeeded in getting a truce with Sherlock that left him alive and well and ready to realize his dreams of becoming the US’s major crime lord. But just as he is about to savor his success, he receives news that his criminal endeavor in London has been overrun by Idle Jack otherwise known as Sir Jordan Jack Idell in more formal circles. Jack is hoodlum cum gentleman who works for different criminal elements in Germany, Spain, Italy, France and now England.
Moriarty is now in a fight against law enforcement and the unruly crime families that have in their employ cracksmen, dippers, punishers, lurkers as well as the crime boss’s own elite body guard. What follows is an epic struggle between some of the most intriguing of characters and personality of crime thrillers that showcases the excellent story telling skills of Gardner which have won him several accolades and prestigious awards over the years.
BEST PROFESSOR MORIARTY BOOKS
The Return of Moriarty: The first novel of the Professor Moriarty books is undoubtedly one the best in the series. It an excellent mob story that has the smartness and fire of Conan Doyle characters written in an arabesque style. There are a lot of interesting subplots including how Moriarty deals with Sherlock Holmes. Another interesting aspect is the Dickensian description of the way life was for some of the poorest of London, and how this naturally led to people committing crime. Moriarty is a rather more frightening and creepier version of the Godfather, who rules his criminal empire with an iron hand and fatherly love at the same time.
The Revenge of Moriarty: The second novel of the series is another explosive crime thriller that has Moriarty back in London, alive and well. He is looking forward to destroying Sherlock Holmes and Detective Crow, who he sees as the biggest impediment to the expansion of his criminal empire. True to type, he is still the cunning and diabolical man as he comes up with a complex plan that will get rid of his enemies and make him the undisputed criminal boss of all of Western Europe. Every member of his criminal enterprise that had tried to set up on their own while he was away is punished severely and learns just who is in charge. But when it comes to dealing with Holmes and Crow, Moriarty finds that he may just have met the toughest opponents of his career.
Moriarty: Another incredible title of the series is “Moriarty” the third and last novel of the “Professor Moriarty” series. The novel is an innovative and adroit historical crime thriller in quite the overcrowded field. Moriarty is still his usual striking and intelligent self that fights one of the most revered of characters in his arch nemesis Sherlock Holmes.
OTHER BOOK SERIES YOU MAY LIKE
Most fans of the “Professor Moriarty” series of novels are also lovers of the “Barker and Llewelyn” series of novels by Will Thomas. The novels are detective thrillers featuring detective Cyrus Barker and his assistant Thomas Llewelyn who work resolving a range of murders in Victorian London.
“Professor Moriarty” fans also enjoy the “Ira Adler” series of novels by Jess Faraday. The series features Ira Adler, a man that goes from plaything for a crime boss to a respectable businessman that finds himself dragged back to a life of crime that he has done his best to leave behind.
What Is The Next Book in The Professor Moriarty Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Professor Moriarty Series. The newest book is Moriarty and was released on January, 1st 2008.
