Home › Fiction › Psycho
  • Psycho by Robert Bloch book cover
  • Psycho by Robert Bloch book cover
1 2

Psycho

by Robert Bloch

The novel behind the Bates Motel

$14.62 USD
$24.37 USD $14.62 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.
Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

The novel behind the Bates Motel

Robert Bloch’s horror novel centers on Norman Bates, who lives with his mother in the house above the Bates Motel, despite her having been dead for two decades—at least as others understand it. When a woman checks into the motel, the story brings Norman’s private fixation and his mother’s violent presence into collision. First published in 1959, Psycho is the source novel for Alfred Hitchcock’s film adaptation, and its setting and central relationship anchor a tale of psychological disturbance and horror.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in classic horror fiction and its film adaptations.
  • Those drawn to stories centered on psychological disturbance and an isolated motel setting.
  • Readers exploring the origins of the Bates Motel story.

Themes

Psychological disturbanceIsolationFamily bondsViolenceThe boundary between appearance and reality

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Before the infamous new Netflix series Monster or Alfred Hitchcok's classic movie, there was Psycho--the chilling original novel inspired by the shocking crimes of Ed Gein.

"Icily terrifying!" --New York Times

Norman Bates loves his mother. She has been dead for the past 20 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.

If you love to be scared, or are a fan of classic movies, then you know the story of Norman Bates, his mother, and the dark and frightening Bates Motel. Alfred Hitchcock's taut, shocking scare-fest starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh is a classic movie, as scary today as it was in 1960 when it was first released, and this is the 1959 novel upon which the movie is based.

It was here that the legend of the Bates Motel was born. Robert Bloch's groundbreaking novel changed the face of horror forever, introducing the world to the monster next door. Its unsettling portrayal of a seemingly normal man driven to madness by isolation and his own fractured psyche shocked readers in 1959.

Discover the psychological thriller that launched a horror dynasty, from Alfred Hitchcock's classic film to the latest true-crime obsession.

"Psycho all came from Robert Bloch's book." --Alfred Hitchcock
"Robert Bloch is one of the all-time masters." --Peter Straub

Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews

You may also like

View all