Connections to Doyle's Sherlock Holmes

Jamyang Norbu's novel documents Holmes's "missing years." The following stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle explain what happened before and after the action in Norbu's novel.

Activity: Read these stories before reading The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes. Why would Doyle choose Tibet as the place where Holmes spends his mysterious absence?

The Final Problem (1893)

As you probably know, Professor Moriarty -- a criminal mastermind -- is Sherlock Holmes's nemesis. This story, set in 1891, describes their final meeting. At the start of the story, we learn that Holmes has narrowly escaped three murder attempts on the streets of London. Moriarty follows Holmes to the European continent, and catches up with Holmes and Watson in Meiringen, Switzerland. Watson and Holmes decide to take a walk to Reichenbach Falls, a local tourist attraction. Once there, a boy appears and hands Watson a note. Apparently, an English lady back at the inn has fallen ill and wishes to see an English doctor. Watson returns to the inn, leaving Sherlock alone at the falls. Once at the inn, Watson discovers that there is no ill English lady and rushes back to the falls. He is too late. He discovers a note written by Holmes in which Holmes writes that he knew the note was a hoax and that he is about to "free society from any further effects of [Moriarty's] presence." There are clear signs of a struggle, and the only logical conclusion is that both men have fallen to their deaths -- their bodies swept away in a "dreadful cauldron of swirling water and seething foam."

For the full text of this story, click here.

 

The Empty House (1903)

This story begins -- as many Holmes stories begin -- with a murder. Watson visits the site of the murder, but is disgusted by the police detective's theories. As he turns to leave the scene, Watson runs into an "elderly, deformed man" carrying an armload of books. Watson attempts to apologize for knocking the books to the ground, but the elderly man gives a "snarl of contempt" and turns his back on Watson. He quickly disappears into the crowd.

Later, the elderly book owner visits Watson at his home to apologize for his rude behavior and asks Watson if he'd like to buy some books to fill the gap on his bookshelf. Watson turns to inspect the bookshelf, and when he faces the man again -- it's not the elderly bookseller. It's Sherlock Holmes! Watson faints, and when he revives, Holmes explains how he escaped death at Reichenbach Falls. Then, Holmes tells Watson that he spent the last three years traveling in order to avoid the two remaining members of the Moriarty gang. Holmes states: "I travelled for two years in Tibet, therefore, and amused myself by visiting Lhassa, and spending some days with the head lama. You may have read of the remarkable explorations of a Norwegian named Sigerson, but I am sure it never occurred to you that you were receiving news of your friend." These lines form the basis for Jamyang Norbu's novel.

Later, Holmes and Watson solve the case. To find out what happens, access the full text here.