The Ghost Map

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The Ghost Map, by MadameGiry25, is an AU to the events of the Sherlock Holmes short stories "The Final Problem" and "The Adventure of the Empty House". The FF.N summary is as follows: Over his lifetime, Sherlock Holmes has likely encountered more sinister crimes than there are stars in the sky. But now, it seems that he pales in comparison to this new microbial killer that threatens to destroy London forever.

Dr. Watson helps to bring the spread of the dreaded cholera to the attention of Sherlock Holmes. When the disease breaks out into an epidemic, Holmes investigates, believing the whole thing to be spearheaded by a mastermind. Then... it gets personal.

Tropes used in The Ghost Map include:

• Alternate Universe: This gets more obvious as the story progresses.
• Bald of Evil: Moran.
• Beneath Suspicion: How the Serial Killer was able to spread the disease - by disguising himself as someone ordinary citizens trusted.
• Berserk Button: Holmes's is always and forever the people he loves, and the criminals bank on that.
• Big Bad: Moran, thus far, but it's stated that he's backed up by the Bigger Bad, Professor Moriarty.
• The Cavalry: Arrives to the rescue, Just in Time, fortunately for Holmes.
• Criminal Mind Games
• Darker and Edgier: Lessee... epidemic, character death, enforced suicide, not to mention a Bigger Bad that's Not Quite Dead... yeeeah, I'd say we have a Darker and Edgier Alternate Universe, here.
• Dark Is Evil: Invoked in the Sequel Hook.
• Deliberate Injury Gambit: Holmes shoots himself in the shoulder in order to convict the Deadly Doctor who spread the disease.
• The Dragon: Yorick.
• Evil Laugh: Justified. Moran wants that badly for Holmes to die.
• Fandom Nod: The given names of three characters are the same as in the Deliver Us from Evil Series: Davey Wiggins, Geoffrey Lestrade, and Annie Lestrade.
  • The Sadistic Choice (see Heroic Sacrifice and Revenge by Proxy below) is probably another nod to the fandom - the Sherlock part.
• Five-Man Band:
  • The Leader (Type I): Holmes, obviously.
  • The Lancer: Watson.
  • The Big Guy: It's a definite stretch, but Wiggins.
  • The Smart Guy: Lestrade, not so much for his intelligence (which, of course, pales in comparison to Holmes's) but for what he brings to the team.
  • The Chick: Mary.
• Foreshadowing: As soon as we read Watson's lecture in the first scene, we know what that "microbial killer" is going to be.
• Hannibal Lecture: Holmes is subjected to this, and it pretty much works.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Even when Wiggins knows he's contracted the disease, he waits to go to Watson until he has the information Holmes needed.
  • Holmes, of course, is willing to make one as well, Reichenbach-style once more.
• Ironic Echo: Moran confronts Holmes in Camden House, where Lestrade arrested Moran some time ago - this time, the game is Moran's. Holmes acknowledges the irony.
• It's Personal: When Wiggins dies of cholera, Holmes bows out of the investigation, saying that he wants to speak with the criminal responsible once the police have found him. The narration even comes close to invoking this trope, following up with: And no one should be able to harm the ones who were closest to him. Not without paying for it with their own life.
  • Watson takes Wiggins's Heroic Sacrifice nearly as hard as Holmes does.
  • Moran admits that, though he wants to be professional about killing Holmes, he very badly wants Holmes to die. Again, the story comes close to invoking the trope.
• Inspector Lestrade: Inverted. Lestrade proves himself to be quite competent, arresting the Mook responsible for spreading the disease.
• The Man Behind the Man: Holmes knows that there's a Big Bad backing the Serial Killer. Of course, he's right.
• Meaningful Name/Stealth Pun: Alas, poor Yorick!
• Never Suicide: Enforced cocaine overdose intended to look like suicide.
• Not Quite Dead: Moriarty has apparently survived the Reichenbach Falls.
• Police Are Useless: Played with. Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars do the actual fact-finding up to a point, but Holmes refuses to go beyond that and allows the Yard to take over.
• The Power of Friendship: One of the motifs of the fic, if not possibly its Central Theme.
• Revenge by Proxy: The Sadistic Choice Moran gives to Holmes. And then takes away.
• Serial Killer: Invoked - one of the fic's little anachronisms.
• Sequel Hook: The Moriarty scene at the very end of the fic.
• Sherlock Scan: What else did you expect in a Sherlock Holmes fic? Seriously, though, the two times Holmes does it are handled well.
• Tranquil Fury: In contrast to facing his Serial Killer, Holmes experiences this when Moran threatens his friends.
• True Companions: Holmes, Watson, Mary, and Lestrade.
• You Have Failed Me...: Yorick in the Sequel Hook - proves his name to be meaningful.