[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7819738/1/The_Ghost_Map ''The Ghost Map'']], by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2284861/MadameGiry25 MadameGiry25]], is an [[AlternateUniverse AU]] to the events of the Literature/SherlockHolmes short stories "The Final Problem" and "The Adventure of the Empty House". The [[http://www.fanfiction.net 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.''

[[TheWatson Dr. Watson]] helps to bring the spread of the dreaded cholera to the attention of Literature/SherlockHolmes. When the disease breaks out into an epidemic, Holmes investigates, believing [[EvilPlan the whole thing]] to be spearheaded by a [[SerialKiller mastermind]]. Then... [[ItsPersonal it gets personal]].

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!! This story provides examples of:

* AlternateUniverse: This gets more obvious as the story progresses.
* BaldOfEvil: [[spoiler: Moran.]]
* BeneathSuspicion: How the SerialKiller was able to spread the disease - by disguising himself as someone ordinary citizens trusted.
* BerserkButton: Holmes's is always and forever the people he loves, [[spoiler: and the criminals bank on that]].
* BigBad: [[spoiler: [[ColonelBadass Moran]], thus far, but it's stated that he's backed up by Professor Moriarty.]]
* TheCavalry: Arrives to the rescue, JustInTime, [[HeroicSacrifice fortunately for Holmes]].
* CriminalMindGames
* DarkerAndEdgier: Lessee... epidemic, character death, enforced suicide... yeeeah, I'd say we have a DarkerAndEdgier AlternateUniverse, here.
* DarkIsEvil: Invoked in the SequelHook.
* TheDragon: Yorick.
* EvilLaugh: [[JustifiedTrope Justified.]] [[spoiler: Moran wants ''that'' badly for Holmes to die.]]
* FandomNod: The given names of three characters are the same as in the ''Fanfic/DeliverUsFromEvilSeries'': Davey Wiggins, Geoffrey Lestrade, and Annie Lestrade.
** The SadisticChoice (see HeroicSacrifice and RevengeByProxy below) is probably another nod to the fandom - the ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' part.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: As soon as we read Watson's lecture in the first scene, we know what that "microbial killer" is going to be.
* HannibalLecture: Holmes is subjected to this, and it pretty much works.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: 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, [[Recap/SherlockS02E03TheReichenbachFall Reichenbach-style]] once more.
* IronicEcho: [[spoiler: Moran confronts Holmes in Camden House, where Lestrade arrested Moran some time ago - this time, the game is Moran's. Holmes acknowledges the irony.]]
* ItsPersonal: When [[spoiler: 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.''
** [[spoiler: Watson takes Wiggins's HeroicSacrifice nearly as hard as Holmes does.]]
** [[spoiler: 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.
* InspectorLestrade: Inverted. Lestrade proves himself to be quite competent, [[spoiler: arresting the {{Mook}} responsible for spreading the disease]].
* TheManBehindTheMan: Holmes ''knows'' that there's a BigBad backing the SerialKiller. Of course, he's right.
* MeaningfulName[=/=]StealthPun: [[IncrediblyLamePun Alas]], [[YouHaveFailedMe poor Yorick!]]
* NeverSuicide: Enforced cocaine overdose intended to ''look'' like suicide.
* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler: Moriarty has apparently survived the Reichenbach Falls.]]
* PoliceAreUseless: Played with. Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars do the actual fact-finding up to [[HeroicSacrifice a point]], but Holmes refuses to go beyond that and allows the Yard to take over.
* ThePowerOfFriendship: One of the [[{{Motif}} motifs]] of the fic, if not possibly its CentralTheme.
* RevengeByProxy: The SadisticChoice [[spoiler: Moran]] gives to Holmes. [[ThePowerOfHate And then takes away.]]
* SerialKiller: Invoked - one of the fic's little anachronisms.
* SequelHook: The [[spoiler: Moriarty]] scene at the very end of the fic.
* SherlockScan: What else did you expect in a Literature/SherlockHolmes fic? Seriously, though, the two times Holmes does it are handled well.
* TranquilFury: In contrast to facing his SerialKiller, Holmes experiences this when [[spoiler: Moran threatens his friends.]]
* TrueCompanions: Holmes, Watson, Mary, and Lestrade.
* YouHaveFailedMe: Yorick in the SequelHook - proves his name to be [[MeaningfulName meaningful.]]
* WoundedGazelleGambit: [[spoiler: Holmes shoots himself in the shoulder in order to convict the DeadlyDoctor who spread the disease.]]
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