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The White Hand, A Rutherford Manor Novel
Based on the award-winning Haunted House and forthcoming television series, The White Hand brings you into a historical thriller combining mobsters, forbidden love, old souls, murder, and betrayal.
Rutherford Manor – a safe haven for some. For others, a home that holds many sinister secrets. Run by the Fleshers and the Savidges, these two families have survived for generations leading up to the present day of 1890. Headmaster Alastor Flesher and his business partner, Spalding Savidge, find themselves in desperate times to provide for their families.
Their needs wrap them into a deal with the Irish mob – The White Hand. The two men willingly work with the gang as resurrectionists, obtaining bodies for anatomists. Alastor and Spalding develop a unique process, gaining access to the most well-preserved bodies. Their product becomes desirable throughout the black market in Illinois.
Despite the handsome pay, Spalding is left in disarray. Alastor’s desperation for income runs deeper than he ever knew. His moral compass is shattered due to their snatching methods. Spalding plays with fire, developing something known as love for Irene, the daughter of The White Hand’s boss. With a dash of foul play and new allies, Spalding becomes the glue that holds Rutherford Manor together, and he is coming unbound.
Join the Fleshers and the Savidges as they plummet into an era-altering series of events that will change Rutherford Manor forever.
Rutherford Manor – a safe haven for some. For others, a home that holds many sinister secrets. Run by the Fleshers and the Savidges, these two families have survived for generations leading up to the present day of 1890. Headmaster Alastor Flesher and his business partner, Spalding Savidge, find themselves in desperate times to provide for their families.
Their needs wrap them into a deal with the Irish mob – The White Hand. The two men willingly work with the gang as resurrectionists, obtaining bodies for anatomists. Alastor and Spalding develop a unique process, gaining access to the most well-preserved bodies. Their product becomes desirable throughout the black market in Illinois.
Despite the handsome pay, Spalding is left in disarray. Alastor’s desperation for income runs deeper than he ever knew. His moral compass is shattered due to their snatching methods. Spalding plays with fire, developing something known as love for Irene, the daughter of The White Hand’s boss. With a dash of foul play and new allies, Spalding becomes the glue that holds Rutherford Manor together, and he is coming unbound.
Join the Fleshers and the Savidges as they plummet into an era-altering series of events that will change Rutherford Manor forever.
- GenresHorrorHistorical Fiction
303 pages, Paperback
Published June 13, 2019
About the author
Konn Lavery
36 books157 followersKonn Lavery is a Canadian author whose award-winning fiction has reached the bestselling charts on Amazon and in his hometown, Edmonton.
Konn's Recommended Release
Read More
● GOLD Medal in Dan Poynter's Global Ebook Awards 2023 Fantasy/Contemporary Category
Fugitive Lola Cabello is hellbent on avenging her mother's death in this multi-award-winning adventure.
---
His work has been described as uncanny and immersive and frequently falls under the Dark Fantasy and Horror genres. Each of his stories are housed within the expanding universe known as the Macrocosm spanning across time and space.
He has been recognized by reviewers such as Reader Views, Readers’ Favorite, Literary Titan, and by award programs such as indieBRAG, The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, eLit Awards, and Dan Poynter’s Global Ebook Awards. His work has also been curated into the Edmonton Public Library’s Capital Press collection.
Konn started writing stories at a young age while being a homeschooled vegetarian, enthralled with storytelling. After graduating college, he began professionally pursuing his writing with his first release, Reality, in 2012 while balancing his graphic design business. Konn’s visual communication skills have been transcribed into the formatting and artwork found within his publications, supporting his fascination with transmedia storytelling.
Konn's Recommended Release
Read More
● GOLD Medal in Dan Poynter's Global Ebook Awards 2023 Fantasy/Contemporary Category
Fugitive Lola Cabello is hellbent on avenging her mother's death in this multi-award-winning adventure.
---
His work has been described as uncanny and immersive and frequently falls under the Dark Fantasy and Horror genres. Each of his stories are housed within the expanding universe known as the Macrocosm spanning across time and space.
He has been recognized by reviewers such as Reader Views, Readers’ Favorite, Literary Titan, and by award programs such as indieBRAG, The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, eLit Awards, and Dan Poynter’s Global Ebook Awards. His work has also been curated into the Edmonton Public Library’s Capital Press collection.
Konn started writing stories at a young age while being a homeschooled vegetarian, enthralled with storytelling. After graduating college, he began professionally pursuing his writing with his first release, Reality, in 2012 while balancing his graphic design business. Konn’s visual communication skills have been transcribed into the formatting and artwork found within his publications, supporting his fascination with transmedia storytelling.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 23, 2022
I have read almost every book by this author. I can can honestly say that his talent is versatile and deep.
The White Hand takes place in a time period that I didn't expect for a story written by Konn, and one that I wouldn't usually read. Konn pulled it off beautifully.
The characters were interesting, surprising, and true to their time period. The settings were intriguing. The story was exciting with both action packed scenes and deeper, more intimate ones. With enough murder and gore and chilling twists, this one is sure to delight the horror lover, regardless of what you usually gravitate to.
The White Hand takes place in a time period that I didn't expect for a story written by Konn, and one that I wouldn't usually read. Konn pulled it off beautifully.
The characters were interesting, surprising, and true to their time period. The settings were intriguing. The story was exciting with both action packed scenes and deeper, more intimate ones. With enough murder and gore and chilling twists, this one is sure to delight the horror lover, regardless of what you usually gravitate to.
June 25, 2019
The White Hand is a great introduction to the universe of the Flesher and Savidge clans and the other denizens of Rutherford Manor.
For generations, the Flesher's and the Savidge's had been societal outcasts due to their reclusiveness and half hinted at dark obsessions. "The White Hand" peels back the shroud and tells the tale of the last members of the two families as they strive to succeed in a world that seems to distrust and revile them, often resorting to unsavoury means to put food on the table. Switching between first and third person narratives along with a healthy dose of internal monologues a complex, disturbing tale is told that draws you in from the first words and refuses to release you from their spell until the very last act. An immersive story that hints at far greater thrills to come.
"The White Hand" is A must-read for anyone who loves anything in the fantasy, horror, history, mystery or the supernatural
For generations, the Flesher's and the Savidge's had been societal outcasts due to their reclusiveness and half hinted at dark obsessions. "The White Hand" peels back the shroud and tells the tale of the last members of the two families as they strive to succeed in a world that seems to distrust and revile them, often resorting to unsavoury means to put food on the table. Switching between first and third person narratives along with a healthy dose of internal monologues a complex, disturbing tale is told that draws you in from the first words and refuses to release you from their spell until the very last act. An immersive story that hints at far greater thrills to come.
"The White Hand" is A must-read for anyone who loves anything in the fantasy, horror, history, mystery or the supernatural
September 12, 2019
Wow! From the cover design, you know this will be a chilling book!
The characters literally leaped off the page in "The White Hand"! Rutherford Manor, as a home, houses the Flesher and the Savidge families, both depraved and dark lineages that lean towards morality in their journeys.
The head of the household, Alastor Flesher, gets his business partner, Spalding Savidge, to agree to becoming a resurrectionist - the people of Rutherford Manor were having hard times, and money (as well as food and resources) were wearing thin. Alastor proposed this as the only option that would save the Manor, and Spalding hadn't any choice but to join the head of the Flesher family. Was it out of a long-standing loyalty to the Fleshers? Or was it to satiate his own blood lust?
Alastor's son, Nox, and his female companion, Lillith, come home from university to help with the Manor and the business in their wicked ways. Less of a public approach and more scientific. After a tragic incident, Spalding and Nox are left to pick up the pieces and keep the household intact. Eventually, Nox gets deeper and deeper into the evils of his mind, and Spalding seems to get more in touch with his humanistic side. A delicate balance of good and evil in Mister Savidge, it might seem.
I was treated to extremely bloody scenes of violence, rage, and vengeance, interspersed with an underground fight club and a dark and disturbed family. The outline of the book follows the five stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) while the family gets deeper into their dark interpersonal urges. This was a great and inventive way to keep the flow of the story going. Fantastically dark read. And, don't worry, there's some mystery and love in there as well, a little bit of something for everyone!
The characters literally leaped off the page in "The White Hand"! Rutherford Manor, as a home, houses the Flesher and the Savidge families, both depraved and dark lineages that lean towards morality in their journeys.
The head of the household, Alastor Flesher, gets his business partner, Spalding Savidge, to agree to becoming a resurrectionist - the people of Rutherford Manor were having hard times, and money (as well as food and resources) were wearing thin. Alastor proposed this as the only option that would save the Manor, and Spalding hadn't any choice but to join the head of the Flesher family. Was it out of a long-standing loyalty to the Fleshers? Or was it to satiate his own blood lust?
Alastor's son, Nox, and his female companion, Lillith, come home from university to help with the Manor and the business in their wicked ways. Less of a public approach and more scientific. After a tragic incident, Spalding and Nox are left to pick up the pieces and keep the household intact. Eventually, Nox gets deeper and deeper into the evils of his mind, and Spalding seems to get more in touch with his humanistic side. A delicate balance of good and evil in Mister Savidge, it might seem.
I was treated to extremely bloody scenes of violence, rage, and vengeance, interspersed with an underground fight club and a dark and disturbed family. The outline of the book follows the five stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) while the family gets deeper into their dark interpersonal urges. This was a great and inventive way to keep the flow of the story going. Fantastically dark read. And, don't worry, there's some mystery and love in there as well, a little bit of something for everyone!
March 28, 2020
Good read, can tell things where researched in depth. My only complaint is the owls claws would be Talons instead. Other then that it was fantastic.
June 20, 2020
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: The White Hand
Author: Konn Lavery
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 7/10
Of the 15 readers:
14 would read another book by this author.
12 thought the cover was good or excellent.
14 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers,5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
13 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
14 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘I must say, Rutherford Manor is a pretty scary place! Enjoyable novel, looking at how far a family will go to put food on the table. Well-written, slightly gross in parts, this is a character-led story with plenty of twists to keep the reader gripped.’ Male reader, aged 32
‘The author wants you to understand his ‘disturbed’ characters and seems to have the writing tools to do it. Excellent read.’ Female reader, aged 23
‘Spalding, for me, was the most intriguing character, how he deals with what his family has sunk to. I loved the historical setting; the manor seems to be a character almost in itself. I would recommend this to anybody who enjoys historical novels, particularly if they like them gritty.’ Male reader, aged 57
To Sum It Up:
‘Dark, gritty and thoroughly enthralling. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: The White Hand
Author: Konn Lavery
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 7/10
Of the 15 readers:
14 would read another book by this author.
12 thought the cover was good or excellent.
14 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers,5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
13 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
14 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘I must say, Rutherford Manor is a pretty scary place! Enjoyable novel, looking at how far a family will go to put food on the table. Well-written, slightly gross in parts, this is a character-led story with plenty of twists to keep the reader gripped.’ Male reader, aged 32
‘The author wants you to understand his ‘disturbed’ characters and seems to have the writing tools to do it. Excellent read.’ Female reader, aged 23
‘Spalding, for me, was the most intriguing character, how he deals with what his family has sunk to. I loved the historical setting; the manor seems to be a character almost in itself. I would recommend this to anybody who enjoys historical novels, particularly if they like them gritty.’ Male reader, aged 57
To Sum It Up:
‘Dark, gritty and thoroughly enthralling. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
August 17, 2022
Set in 1890, the Fleshers and the Savidges try to save Rutherford Manor by engaging in a unique business as “resurrectionists.” That’s all I’ll say to avoid giving spoilers. I’ve read many of Lavery’s books and I think this one may be my favourite to date. He has really hit his stride with this one and his voice comes through beautifully. The writing is very crisp and sharp, with quick pacing and a macabre sense of humour that perfectly suits the characters. Plenty of blood and gore in this one! The characters were fleshed out, each with their own character arc and development—even side characters were interesting and unique.
If you love The Addams Family’s vibe with a darker edge, or historical horror/fantasy with a mobster edge, you’ll absolutely adore these quirky, macabre characters. I’m excited to see more of these characters!
If you love The Addams Family’s vibe with a darker edge, or historical horror/fantasy with a mobster edge, you’ll absolutely adore these quirky, macabre characters. I’m excited to see more of these characters!
April 23, 2020
I normally read a lot more non-fiction and technical books due to my interests in science and technology. Fiction books have to definitely peak my interest before I will even considering reading them. When I picked up this book I was intrigued by both the interesting characters and the thriller / mystery aspects of the main narrative. I've always been a fan of the late Victorian / Edwardian era and The White Hand visualized a world for me that kept me reading it until I was finished. I desired to see how it all came together in the end, which was both very satisfying and had me wanting to find out more about the world that the author described so well. Great job and I can't wait to read the next one in this series.
May 19, 2025
I have to admit I was a little unsure about White Hand at first as I’ve only experienced Konn Lavery’s work from a futuristic standpoint. But he did the Rutherford Manor justice by weaving a compelling, story that already had so much Lore around the Haunted House. Konn brought us into that world and expanded on it with his own style that left you wanting to see what happens next. I have to say the way Spalding … no that would be a spoiler, maybe nope can’t talk about Alastor or Nox either for fear of spoiling it. Easiest thing to say is, grab this book and give it a read, even if you’ve never ventured into RutherFord Manor Konn Lavery will take you on an adventure of action, mystery, conspiracy and maybe a little bit of murder…. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.
March 30, 2020
This book and a wonderful intro into the world of Rutherford Manor. It gives a lot of backstory, and character development for what is, hopefully, to come! I was enthralled at the different characters and the aesthetic the entire book gives off. Very well done!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews