Psycho (Mass Market Paperback)

by Robert Bloch (Author) "NORMAN BATES heard the noise and a shock went through him..." (more)
Key Phrases: Sheriff Chambers, Norman Bates, Mary Crane (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Icily terrifying!" --The New York Times

"Psycho all came from Robert Bloch's book." --Alfred Hitchcock

"A terribly chilling tale." --Bestsellers

"Robert Bloch is one of the all-time masters." --Peter Straub
-- Review

Review

"Icily terrifying!" --The New York Times

"Psycho all came from Robert Bloch's book." --Alfred Hitchcock

"A terribly chilling tale." --Bestsellers

"Robert Bloch is one of the all-time masters." --Peter Straub

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (June 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812519329
• ISBN-13: 978-0812519327
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #197,044 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "I think perhaps all of us go a little crazy at times.", June 15, 2000

By	Ryan Costantino (Nowhere, Special) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Psycho is a great read, made even greater by the fact that the book is 40 years old! Extremely groundbreaking in the use of a pathology for the killer, it seems that Norman Bates is as much a household name in American culture as Ronald McDonald. The Alfred Hitchcock film version seems to have used the book for the script, with only minor deviations. A short read, it's impossible not to finish this in one sitting. While reading I took down four pages of quotations from this book, it's that good and inspiring. I do think this book could have been longer and bloodier provided it had been written 10-15 years later. The ending was great and overall the book was awesome. Reading it was like watching the Hitchcock version of the movie, and vice versa. A must read Horror novel. On a scale from 1-10 I'd rate this novel a 10, for its historical significance, the intensity of the story, the quote factor, and characterization.

Come on, everyone knows Norman Bates!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I hate to say it, but the movie was better., July 26, 2001

By	JR Pinto (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

The cliche that "the book was better" doesn't always hold true. Even while maintaining that almost all of the important elements in the movie Psycho are found in the book, all the changes made for the movie are changes for the better. The film was right to start with Marion (Mary) instead of Norman. Anthony Perkins is more engaging that the fat, middle-aged Norman we are presented with in the book. And none of the horrific stuff is the same without Hitchcock's masterful direction and Bernard Herman's unforgettable score. But still, it is a great book and well worth the read - even if you have seen the movie first.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a curious piece of 1950s pulp fiction.., October 4, 2003

By	lazza (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

'Psycho' by Robert Bloch would most certainly be long forgotten and probably out of print if it weren't for its brilliant film adaptation. Actually it is one of those unusual cases where the film is actually better than the book; the film's screenwriter (Joseph Stephano) did a great job. So what does the book offer?

While all the major elements found in the film 'Psycho' are also in Robert Bloch's original novel I found the book to be relatively poorly written. Great premise with a not-so-good execution. For much better psychological/criminal character studies I recommend 'The Killer Inside Me' by Jim Thompson, or one of the many early works of Patricia Highsmith. Robert Bloch simply doesn't have the same literary strength, and the characterizations are fairly thin.

However it is very interesting to note key differences between the film and the book, and so I believe fans of Hitchcock's film will enjoy reading Robert Bloch's novel. At least it's a short read, the perfect sort of book to carry on business trip.

Bottom line: the book that spawned Norman Bates. Somewhat disappointing but most will find some reading enjoyment from it.