The Beast With Five Fingers
by William F. Harvey
This story was originally published in The New Decameron in 1919. However, there is a slightly different version of the story available through Project Gutenberg of Australia as an eBook, which seems a little bit like an older draft. It can be read here:
anilbalan.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/the-beast-with-five-fingers.pdf
Of his supernatural stories, Harvey’s most famous is The Beast with Five Fingers. It is an undeniable classic, about a man who is tormented by the disembodied and animated hand of his deceased relative. If this sounds like a familiar idea, it should: it was the inspiration for the original movie The Beast with Five Fingers (1946) and the version remade by Oliver Stone, The Hand (1981), and probably Thing from The Addams Family.
About the Author:
William Fryer Harvey AM (1885–1937) was an English writer of short stories, most notably in the mystery and horror genres. Among his better-known stories are "August Heat" and "The Beast with Five Fingers", described by horror historian Les Daniels as "minor masterpieces."
This narration appeared on Tales To Terrify episode #202. If you enjoyed the story, check out other episodes for tons more stories, interviews, and lectures, and please donate.
Episode page:
talestoterrify.com/tales-to-terrify-202-harvey/
Tales To Terrify Website
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