Psycho: A Novel

By Robert Bloch

"The basis for one of the most iconic horror films of the 1960s . . . [Bloch's] unique true-crime slant to storytelling set the tone." —Sublime Horror

The story was all too real—indeed this classic was inspired by the real-life story of Ed Gein, a psychotic murderer who led a dual life. Alfred Hitchcock too was captivated, and, the year after it was released, he turned the book into one of the most-loved horror films of all time.


Norman Bates loves his Mother. She has been dead for the past twenty years, or so people think. Norman knows better though. Ever since leaving the hospital, he has lived with Mother in the old house up on the hill above the Bates Motel. One night, after a beautiful woman checks into the motel, Norman spies on her as she undresses. Norman can't help but spy on her. Mother is there though. She is there to protect Norman from his filthy thoughts. She is there to protect him with her butcher knife.

"[To a horror junkie], Bob Bloch was the pusher with the best stuff. He was a man of wit and gentleness and great, great talent." —Stephen King, in Robert Bloch: Appreciations of the Master
"Psycho all came from Robert Bloch's book." —Alfred Hitchcock
"Icily terrifying!" —The New York Times
"Robert Bloch is one of the all-time masters." —Peter Straub

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781590206188

Book preview

1

Norman Bates heard the noise and a shock went through him.

It sounded as though somebody was tapping on the windowpane.

He looked up, hastily, half prepared to rise, and the book slid from his hands to his ample lap. Then he realized that the sound was merely rain. Late afternoon rain, striking the parlor window.

Norman hadn’t noticed the coming of the rain, nor the twilight. But it was quite dim here in the parlor now, and he reached over to switch on the lamp before resuming his reading.

It was one of those old-fashioned table lamps, the kind with the ornate glass shade and the crystal fringe. Mother had had it ever since he could remember, and she refused to get rid of it. Norman didn’t really object; he had lived in this house for all of the forty years of his life, and there was something quite pleasant and reassuring about being surrounded by familiar things. Here everything was orderly and ordained; it was only there, outside, that the changes took place. And most of those changes held a potential threat. Suppose he had spent the afternoon walking, for example? He might have been off on some lonely side road or even in the swamps when the rain came, and then what? He’d be soaked to the skin, forced to stumble along home in the dark. You could catch your death of cold that way, and besides, who wanted to be out in the dark? It was much nicer here in the parlor, under the lamp, with a good book for company.

The light shone down on his plump face, reflected from his rimless glasses, bathed the pinkness of his scalp beneath the thinning sandy hair as he bent his head to resume reading.

It was really a fascinating book—no wonder he hadn’t noticed how fast the time had passed. It was The Realm of the Incas, by Victor W. Von Hagen, and Norman had never before encountered such a wealth of curious information. For example, this description of the cachua, or victory dance, where the warriors formed a great circle, moving and writhing like a snake. He read:

The drumbeat for this was usually performed on what had been the body of an enemy: the skin had been flayed and the belly stretched to form a drum, and the whole body acted as a sound box while throbbings came out of the open mouth—grotesque, but effective.¹

Norman smiled, then allowed himself the luxury of a comfortable shiver. Grotesque but effective—it certainly must have been! Imagine flaying a man—alive, probably—and then stretching his belly to use it as a drum! How did they actually go about doing that, curing and preserving the flesh of the corpse to prevent decay? For that matter, what kind of a mentality did it take to conceive of such an idea in the first place?

It wasn’t the most appetizing notion in the world, but when Norman half closed his eyes, he could almost see the scene: this throng of painted, naked warriors wriggling and swaying in unison under a sun-drenched, savage sky, and the old crone crouching before them, throbbing out a relentless rhythm on the swollen, distended belly of a cadaver. The contorted mouth of the corpse would be forced open, probably fixed in a gaping grimace by clamps of bone, and from it the sound emerged. Beating from the belly, rising through the shrunken inner orifices, forced up through the withered windpipe to emerge amplified and in full force from the dead throat.

For a moment, Norman could almost hear it, and then he remembered that rain has its rhythm too, and footsteps——

Actually, he was aware of the footsteps without even hearing them; long familiarity aided his senses whenever Mother came into the room. He didn’t even have to look up to know she was there.

In fact, he didn’t look up; he pretended to continue his reading, instead. Mother had been sleeping in her room, and he knew how crabby she could get when just awakened. So it was best to keep quiet and hope that she wasn’t in one of her bad moods.

Norman, do you know what time it is?

He sighed and closed the book. He could tell now that she was going to be difficult; the very question was a challenge. Mother had to pass the grandfather clock in the hall in order to come in here and she could easily see what time it was.

Still, no sense making an issue of it. Norman glanced down at his wrist watch, then smiled. A little after five, he said. I actually didn’t realize it was so late. I’ve been reading——

Don’t you think I have eyes? I can see what you’ve been doing. She was over at the window now, staring out at the rain. And I can see what you haven’t been doing, too. Why didn’t you turn the sign on when it got dark? And why aren’t you up at the office where you belong?

Well, it started to rain so hard, and I didn’t expect there’d be any traffic in this kind of weather.

Nonsense! That’s just the time you’re likely to get some business. Lots of folks don’t care to drive when it’s raining.

But it isn’t likely anybody would be coming this way. Everyone takes the new highway. Norman heard the bitterness creeping into his voice, felt it welling up into his throat until he could taste it, and tried to hold it back. But too late now; he had to vomit it out. "I told you how it would be at the time, when we got that advance tip that they were moving the highway. You could have sold the motel then, before there was a public announcement about the new road coming through. We could have bought all kinds of land over there for a song, closer to Fairvale, too. We’d have had a new motel, a new house, made some money. But you wouldn’t listen. You never listen to me, do you? It’s always what you want and what you think. You make me sick!"

Do I, boy? Mother’s voice was deceptively gentle, but that didn’t fool Norman. Not when she called him boy. Forty years old, and she called him boy: that’s how she treated him, too, which made it worse. If only he didn’t have to listen! But he did, he knew he had to, he always had to listen.

Do I, boy? she repeated, even more softly. "I make you sick, eh? Well, I think not. No, boy, I don’t make you sick. You make yourself sick.

"That’s the real reason you’re still sitting over here on this side road, isn’t it, Norman? Because the truth is that you haven’t any gumption. Never had any gumption, did you, boy?

Never had the gumption to leave home. Never had the gumption to go out and get yourself a job, or join the army, or even find yourself a girl——

You wouldn’t let me!

That’s right, Norman. I wouldn’t let you. But if you were half a man, you’d have gone your own way.

He wanted to shout out at her that she was wrong, but he couldn’t. Because the things she was saying were the things he had told himself, over and over again, all through the years. It was true. She’d always laid down the law to him, but that didn’t mean he always had to obey. Mothers sometimes are overly possessive, but not all children allow themselves to be possessed. There had been other widows, other only sons, and not all of them became enmeshed in this sort of relationship. It was really his fault as much as hers. Because he didn’t have any gumption.

You could have insisted, you know, she was saying. "Suppose you’d gone out and found us a new location, then put the place here up for sale. But no, all you did was whine. And I know why. You never fooled me for an instant. It’s because you really didn’t want to move. You’ve never wanted to leave this place, and you never will now, ever. You can’t leave, can you? Any more than you can grow up."

He couldn’t look at her. Not when she said things like that, he couldn’t. And there was nowhere else for him to look, either. The beaded lamp, the heavy old overstuffed furniture, all the familiar objects in the room, suddenly became hateful just because of long familiarity; like the furnishings of a prison cell. He stared out of the window, but that was no good either—out there was the wind and the rain and the darkness. He knew there was no escape for him out there. No escape anywhere, from the voice that throbbed, the voice that drummed into his ears like that of the Inca corpse in the book; the drum of the dead.

He clutched at the book now and tried to focus his eyes on it. Maybe if he ignored her, and pretended to be calm——

But it didn’t work.

Look at yourself! she was saying (the drum going boom-boom-boom, and the sound reverberating from the mangled mouth). "I know why you didn’t bother to switch on the sign. I know why you haven’t even gone up to open the office tonight. You didn’t really forget. It’s just that you don’t want anyone to come, you hope they don’t come."

All right! he muttered. I admit it. I hate running a motel, always have.

It’s more than that, boy. (There it was again, Boy, boy, boy! drumming away, out of the jaws of death.) "You hate people. Because, really, you’re afraid of them, aren’t you? Always have been, ever since you were a little tyke. Rather snuggle up in a chair under the lamp and read. You did it thirty years ago, and you’re still doing it now. Hiding away under the covers of a book."

There’s a lot worse things I could be doing. You always told me that, yourself. At least I never went out and got into trouble. Isn’t it better to improve my mind?

Improve your mind? Hah! He could sense her standing behind him now, staring down. "Call that improvement? You don’t fool me, boy, not for a minute. Never have. It isn’t as if you were reading the Bible, or even trying to get an education. I know the sort of thing you read. Trash. And worse than trash!"

This happens to be a history of the Inca civilization——

"I’ll just bet it is. And I’ll just bet it’s crammed full with nasty bits about those dirty savages, like the one you had about the South Seas. Oh, you didn’t think I knew about that one did you? Hiding it up in your room, the way you hid all the others, those filthy things you used to read——"

Psychology isn’t filthy, Mother!

"Psychology, he calls it! A lot you know about psychology! I’ll never forget that time you talked so dirty to me, never. To think that a son could come to his own mother and say such things!"

But I was only trying to explain something. It’s what they call the Oedipus situation, and I thought if both of us could just look at the problem reasonably and try to understand it, maybe things would change for the better.

"Change, boy? Nothing’s going to change. You can read all the books in the world and you’ll still be the same. I don’t need to listen to a lot of vile obscene rigamarole to know what you are. Why, even an eight-year-old child could recognize it. They did, too, all your little playmates did, way back then. You’re a Mamma’s Boy. That’s what they called you, and that’s what you were. Were, are, and always will be. A big, fat, overgrown Mamma’s Boy!"

It was deafening him, the drumbeat of her words, the drumbeat in his own chest. The vileness in his mouth made him choke. In a moment he’d have to cry. Norman shook his head. To think that she could still do this to him, even now! But she could, and she was, and she would, over and over again, unless——

Unless what?

God, could she read his mind?

"I know what you’re thinking, Norman. I know all about you, boy. More than you dream. But I know that, too—what you dream. You’re thinking that you’d like to kill me, aren’t you, Norman? But you can’t. Because you haven’t the gumption. I’m the one who has the strength. I’ve always had it. Enough for both of us. That’s why you’ll never get rid of me, even if you really wanted to.

"Of course, deep down you don’t want to. You need me, boy. That’s the truth, isn’t it?"

Norman stood up, slowly. He didn’t dare trust himself to turn and face her, not yet. He had to tell himself to be calm, first. Be very, very calm. Don’t think about what she’s saying. Try to face up to it, try to remember. She’s an old woman, and not quite right in the head. If you keep on listening to her this way, you’ll end up not quite right in the head, either. Tell her to go back to her room and lie down. That’s where she belongs.

And she’d better go there fast, because if she doesn’t, this time you’re going to strangle her with her own Silver Cord——

He started to swing around, his mouth working, framing the phrases, when the buzzer sounded.

That was the signal; it meant somebody had driven in, up at the motel, and was ringing for service.

Without even bothering to look back, Norman walked into the hall, took his raincoat from the hanger, and went out into

Reviews for Psycho

[Nathan Gravitt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I confess that I saw the movie before reading the book (I didn't even know it was a book until randomly finding it here on Scribd this year), but I got the feeling that I would've been able to predict the ending very early even if I hadn't seen the movie first. It just felt predictable.

I really liked Bloch's way of building tension, establishing a creepy atmosphere, and using stream-of-consciousness narration.

The book is definitely the product of a bygone era, with all of its outdated tropes (e.g., fat men are lazy and evil, trans people are deranged, assertive women cause dysfunction, and so on).

Overall, it's a decent read if you're a horror fan.

[Mark McCarron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A true classic of psychological horror. A definite must read!

[GustavoIGG · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think we all know what the plot is about because of the famous movie. Honestly, the book would have been more surprising and impactful if it weren't so well-known. It reads very quickly, sometimes too quickly, as you can go back and forth between cities on a single page. However, that doesn't ruin the reading pace, although it can be disorienting at times. Upon finishing it, I learned that there are 2 more that I will soon read. (Translated from Spanish)

[NibiaHernendez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Although we know it is a work of fiction, the author loses control of the ending. The killer chosen by Robert Bloch leaves the reader a bit disoriented no matter how much they try to make sense of the events. Aside from this small drawback, I found the book entertaining. (Translated from Spanish)

[Jose Mariano H · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

                                  August 9, 2022
    Psycho
Author: Robert Bloch

A story that inspired the famous and iconic film by Alfred Hitchcock. On a rainy night, Mary Crane, a woman fleeing to create a new destiny, tired and overwhelmed, seeks shelter for the night. Before her appears the Bates Hotel, where she is attended by Norman, a strange man, and his mysterious mother. An entertaining story and easy read. (Translated from Spanish)

[Goncalves1401 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Robert Bloch focused on the noir, horror, and science fiction genres. ♥️ He maintained correspondence and friendship with Lovecraft. What can we expect from this?

Books like Psycho ? OMG! I loved it from start to finish. Please, I won’t give you spoilers, so don't give me any either. Don't read the preface, don't read intros, don't read comments, NOTHING. Dive into it without warning so you can be surprised by a fabulous twist!
Unfortunately, I read the core of the book in a comment on a blog, and it was painful ? but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book ♥️???

The characters are spectacular. There is loss in their pasts, grief, pain, and something dark; something happens... with two characters in particular. An abandoned hotel on a little-traveled street, a frustrated dream, and a frantic search.

I recommend it

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (Translated from Spanish)

[Gerard68 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very entertaining read, although we all know the plot thanks to Hitchcock's iconic movie and things like the "final surprise" can't surprise anyone at this point. The film was extremely faithful to the original literary work, and few differences can be found... Perhaps the biggest difference is that in the novel, Norman Bates is a fat, bald, forty-year-old guy. In other words, the complete opposite of his cinematic counterpart. As I said, I find it a highly recommendable novel despite the familiarity of the plot. (Translated from Spanish)

[Ulisesmarquez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is wonderful and more disturbing than the movie... (Translated from Spanish)

[ValeGomez24 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After watching the series that I loved, I eagerly went to look for the book and the movie, and I must say they are very good. The book is short and reads quickly, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed after seeing the series since, for me, other than the names and the protagonist's disorders, they have little in common.

If read without the shadow of the series, I think it would be appreciated much more; it's a very interesting book! (Translated from Spanish)

[Elias15 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

PSYCHOSIS

Lila, Mary, Jane Wilson, Sam Loomis, Arbogast Milton, Norman Bates, Norma Bates, Normal Bates, the Sheriff, et al. are the characters that make up this story.

Money, a stolen car, a motel, a hardware store, a swamp, a basement, and a lot of rain, a house; the elements that compose it.

In the end, two corpses, two cars, the same swamp, several people.

Psychosis: a mental state described as a disconnection or loss of contact with reality. According to psychoanalysis.

Now, which reality? Is the reality, let's say true, the one perceived by everyone as real, normal? Or is what each person perceives as such real? If the answer is the latter, then there are several realities. If it is the former, then there are more crazy people than sane ones.

Not all of us imagine things. Yesterday, in front of my work, someone left an abandoned dog. I picked her up and took her home. I gave her water, looked for food to give her and realized I had none. It was late to go back to buy some and I live far from the city, not too far, but far.

She was somewhat agitated, of course, it's not her home; even though she was abandoned, she must miss her owners. I lay down after giving her a piece of bread. I continued reading this book, reaching the point of the unexpected twist. And I thought about the dog. If she were not a dog, I thought. If she were a transformed person, some supernatural entity with everything planned, that is, waiting for me or someone else to pick her up in the form of a dog to devour me at night? I thought all this while continuing the story, alone, lying down, and thinking about the beast that according to my mind I picked up from the street.

Well, if I wake up alive and well, all of this would be part of my imagination. If I'm not here in the morning, you wouldn't be reading the review I'm now writing while thinking about how cowardly I am.

Today I will buy food for the beast, one that when I went out saw me, stood on two legs on my leg while her tail joyfully greeted me, I imagine saying: good morning. (Translated from Spanish)

[Mauricio.LM20 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A story in which we delve into the disturbed and unbalanced mind of a murderer. Norman Bates. A very well-known character who has inspired series and movies. In the course of this book, we will be witnesses to the macabre murders that take place, with an incredible pace that makes it impossible for you to stop reading. I definitely must continue with the other two books about this magnificent character. (Translated from Spanish)

[Cris ¿Qué libro leo? · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A horror novel that will undoubtedly leave you breathless, as we can see the story from the perspective of the murderer, the victims, and the investigator trying to find out who the culprit is. We encounter an incredibly disturbing character who will leave us speechless with their ending. I truly recommend it to all horror lovers. (Translated from Spanish)

[Rominaia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Norman Bates and his mother own a roadside motel. Unfortunately, a new road was built, and almost no one passes by anymore. The influx of tourists is poor.
Mary, a girl who has run away with money from her office, arrives at the hotel after a long car trip, at night, tired and in the midst of torrential rain.

The book reads very quickly, it is written in the third person focusing on different characters, who are interesting and well-developed.
The story is inspired by a killer named Ed Hein, who committed more atrocious acts than those described in the book.

Although I unfortunately knew details due to the film's fame, the plot pleasantly surprised me.
An entertaining book to pass the time.

⚠️⚠️⚠️ If you liked my review or that of any other user on ALIBRATE, the like goes in the big heart next to where it says, "Did you like this review?" ? in case of doubt in both hearts. Thank you ???? (Translated from Spanish)

[Sesma107 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For me, having not seen the movie, it is a complete discovery. Those of us who have never seen the movie (or at least I) imagine a book that is completely horror, and this book is more of a psychological thriller with a great background.
At first, although entertaining, it seems a little flat and with few surprises, but by the time you reach the middle of the book, it takes a complete turn to show you the true reality of this story. To say something about the book, I didn’t find the ending too surprising.
Norman, the protagonist, is a very well-built character that you manage to believe and see with total clarity.
I am looking forward to continuing with the second and third parts of this book to delve more into the mind of Norman Bates. (Translated from Spanish)

[gabrielhalabi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My first encounter with Psycho was with Hitchcock's adaptation. An incredible movie overall. The book was hard to find. The film is quite faithful to the book. It is a book that one cannot stop reading because the plot becomes more intense each time. Psycho is a trilogy; however, Hitchcock's work only includes the first volume. (Translated from Spanish)

[Maribel Calle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was very eager to read this novel. I wanted to know if the text was as great as the movie, and I must say that despite having seen it many times, I was not disappointed. However, since it is a suspense novel, not having seen the movie beforehand would have made it more interesting.

When you associate a title with characters you see for the first time on screen, it's hard to separate the original story from the actors in the film adaptation. I found some differences, but the story is basically the same.

Norman Bates runs a motel along with his mother, and although he used to have more guests in the past, he remains prepared for anyone in need of a room. One stormy night, Mary, a young woman fleeing after committing a crime at her workplace, happens upon the motel. From there, what was supposed to be a stop to rest and leave the next day turns into an entire odyssey for Norman and, of course, for Mary.

I loved Norman's character, his addiction to reading, and his unique relationship with his mother. I couldn't help but keep in mind one of the most famous scenes in the history of cinema, as well as the soundtrack (composed by B. Herrmann) that accompanied such an unusual film directed by the great A. Hitchcock in 1960 (it premiered in Spain in 1971) starring A. Perkins and J. Leigh. Years later, due to the success of the film, a second and even a third part were published. (Translated from Spanish)

[dahiana.books · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had heard a lot about the book, not so much about its story but more about its impact when it was brought to the big screen and, of course, I had seen references to its most iconic scene (the shower scene). Honestly, I don't know why I took so long to read this book, but now that I've finished it, all I can say is that it kept me hooked until the last page.

I wouldn't want to say much about the story because it's a short book, so I'll just say that there's a girl named Mary who is on her way to Fairvale and, due to the circumstances of the weather and a bit of remorse, ends up deciding to spend the night at an inn where she meets Norman Bates, the owner of the place. He is a seemingly nice man and, in some aspects, strange.

The story isn't complex, and that's precisely what makes it so engaging. You never lose the rhythm and always want to know more.

I really liked the way the author reveals things and clues, as well as his ability to create tension with small details without having to exaggerate.

The characters sometimes seemed a bit stupid to me, and I found myself thinking about horror movies where you want to hit them all for the same reason. However, it was very believable. As I said, the author knows how to tell the story.

The ending was a bit predictable for me; I already suspected what was going on, although not entirely.

I love the genre, especially when it’s sold with a good story. Highly recommended, a short, addictive book that generates tension and leaves nothing out, explaining everything perfectly.

By the way, can someone please tell me if it’s worth continuing with the second and third parts of this? ?? (Translated from Spanish)

[Andrea Milano · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I watched the movie several times and I was reluctant to read the book because I was afraid it wouldn’t do it justice... Despite knowing the story so well, I found the reading so enjoyable that it was as if I was meeting Norman Bates for the first time. A short, intense novel, where, like the movie, the suspense is maintained from beginning to end. The only thing that confused me was the description of Norman: overweight and wearing glasses... sorry, Mr. Bloch, but I could only picture Anthony Perkins while reading the novel ?? (Translated from Spanish)

[Paco Garrido · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Psycho marked an era and changed the genre, Hitchcock made the name Norman Bates famous, Robert Bloch gained fame after the adaptation of his gruesome novel but never achieved the prestige of its cinematic counterpart. Nor did he claim it.

The truth is that his pages were not as revolutionary for literature, but they were innovative and essential; Bloch based his main character on a serial killer from Wisconsin, Ed Gein. There is only one mother, but she never warned us about the dangers of a shower. (Translated from Spanish)

[Melampo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

To this day, who doesn't know this story? The movie changed its name after the success it achieved. In any case, even if you know the story, it is worth reading from where it all began. (Translated from Spanish)

[Alejo..s · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story starts with a middle-aged man named Norman Bates, who is calm, noble, and enjoys reading, especially taboo topics like books on magic and things like that. On the other hand, we have Norman's mother, an angry woman who always finds a flaw in him and always manages to humiliate him. At this moment, in a fit of rage, Norman emphasizes the fact that no one stops at their motel because she forbade him from moving to the main road. They throw insults at each other, but as this fight unfolds, there is a girl named Mary Crane at the motel, who has stolen forty thousand dollars that she was supposed to take to the bank. She plans to use them to pay off her fiancé's debts, but due to a terrible storm, she chooses to spend the night at the motel. This place serves as the backdrop for this thriller, a classic horror story that has impacted many generations. The author builds the central characters very well, and the pathological mother-son relationship is excellent. A short novel that is easy to read, it is ideal for the beginning of a trilogy. The ending, somewhat abrupt and predictable, does not disappoint. I loved it. Now I understand my mother's talks with her psychologist colleagues and friends... they love this saga. Would I recommend it? Absolutely, a classic that you have to read! (Translated from Spanish)

[Jovi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A story well known for its adaptations to film and television but that never ceases to surprise you, captivating you and immersing you in a mad atmosphere and universe where the twisted mind of the protagonist awaits us. (Translated from Spanish)

[Kathyrodriguez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent story..!!! I spoiled myself a little by reading what the entire trilogy was about, so the first thing I recommend is NOT TO READ THE SYNOPSIS OF THE SECOND BOOK...
The book tells the story from the perspective of several characters, which I love; I’m not much for readings where the protagonist tells the whole story. The only thing I would criticize is that the ending is a bit too fast and lacks suspense... But overall, great work... (Translated from Spanish)

[Florvillalta · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's shocking, in the good sense of the word, of course, and it also has one of the most unpredictable twists I've ever read in my life. (Translated from Spanish)

[Tommarquez1993 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those books that almost nobody knows about, but should know. Also, it has an unbeatable movie. (Translated from Spanish)

[ramiro4444 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you want your head to explode, read this novel. I haven’t read anything better in terms of thriller. (Translated from Spanish)

[MelisaLeonC · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it! It's a book that shows you a lot of what goes on in the protagonist's mind and grabs you from the start, highly recommended. (Translated from Spanish)

[GUERRERO 24 MARK 04 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book that you can't put down, with a narrative style that captivates you chapter by chapter. And despite being a well-known story due to its famous 1960 film by Alfred Hitchcock and its current Netflix series, Bates Motel, the story continues to draw you in, maintaining the suspense of wanting to know what will happen next. (Translated from Spanish)

[Dani Sánchez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was difficult for Hitchcock to do a bad job with this work as a guide. (Translated from Spanish)

[RosaDracos · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic that, despite having seen the movie several times, I had not yet read. Although Alfred Hitchcock's film is unforgettable and Anthony Perkins excels in the role of the psychopath, the book has impacted me; especially the fragments about Norman Bates and his mother. The author knows how to maintain intrigue and suspense... and even though I knew how it ended, I couldn't stop reading. I didn't give it 5 stars because there was one scene that felt a bit long to me. Highly recommended. (Translated from Spanish)