A rash of abductions of young boys that end up brutally murdered is plaguing London, and police are powerless to stop it. When William James Moriarty discovers a clue linking all the victims, he and his brothers take an interest in the case.
In 1866, a brilliant young orphan and his ailing younger brother are taken in by a charitable aid organization, where they catch the attention of the son of an earl, who is discontent with Britain's class system.
Albert invites the brothers to come live at the Moriarty's estate, but the pair are not warmly welcomed by the other members of the household. Albert grows increasingly disturbed by his family's intolerance, and resorts to drastic measures.
William begins teaching at the University of Durham, and is invited to dinner at the home of the Viscount of Belfor. He and his brothers are stunned by the viscount's well-kept conservatory, but taken aback by the tragic story of its gardener.
A commoner is chased, shot by a hunter. On the maiden voyage of the Noahtic, Count Blitz criticizes commoners onboard. William plans to educate commoners by committing murders, starting with Blitz.
Due to financial problems, Consultant detective Sherlock Holmes must find a suitable flatmate, however, the Police have to arrest him in suspect of murder.
Holmes convinces Lestrade to let him escape, revealing evidence of Drebber's murder. Holmes seeks the owner of a stolen ring. Instead of shooting him, Holmes turns him in, earning William's admiration as his nemesis.
Holmes, now Britain's famous detective thanks to the Drebber case, suffers nightmares and struggles with solving mysteries. While on a train with Watson and Lestrade, he meets the Moriarty brothers, and a passenger is killed.