Psycho Returns: Explore the Deluxe Edition of Robert Bloch's Horror Masterpiece

PSYCHO 
by Robert Bloch 
Abrams Press, 2025 
★★★★★ 

Dear Readers, 

One of my all-time favorite horror novels, Robert Bloch's Psycho, is getting a gorgeous new deluxe hardcover edition. It’s set to hit the shelves on September 2nd from Abrams Press, an imprint of ABRAMS. This edition pulls out all the stops—it's got a see-through jacket, a debossed cover, special endpapers, and even edge-staining. The design is both eerie and captivating, making it a perfect addition for horror aficionados or collectors who appreciate a book with a little bite.

Originally published back in 1959 by Simon & Schuster, Psycho is often linked with the infamous serial killer Ed Gein, who was arrested in 1957. Interestingly, Bloch began writing the novel before any of Gein’s crimes came to light. He lived just about 35 miles away from Gein and had this unsettling idea that a monster could be lurking right next door, hidden beneath the surface of small-town life. Once Gein's horrific actions became public knowledge, Bloch cleverly added a nod to him in one of the later chapters.

The story begins on a stormy night with Mary Crane stumbling upon the Bates Motel, drawn in by its dark, unlit neon "vacancy" sign. She’s exhausted, lost, and in dire need of a warm shower and a place to rest. Enter Norman Bates, the motel manager. He appears friendly, yet there’s something off about him.

Norman is deeply fixated on his mother. While most people assume she passed away two decades ago, he knows she's very much present—he's been living with her in their old house on the hill since his time in the hospital. When a beautiful woman checks in one fateful night, Norman can't help but watch her undress, but "Mother" is always there to intervene with a butcher knife.

"I think perhaps all of us go a little crazy at times."

Psycho (page 36), Robert Bloch, Abrams Press, 2025

If you're a fan of classic horror films, the story of Norman Bates and his cryptic mother at the Bates Motel is likely familiar territory. Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film, featuring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, continues to send chills down spines long after its release, and it all began with Bloch's chilling novel.

The legacy continued with Psycho II in 1983, directed by Richard Franklin and once again starring Perkins. Perkins helmed the director's chair himself for Psycho III in 1986 and reprised his character one last time in the cable film Psycho IV: The Beginning, which served as both a prequel and a sequel. Then there's the 1998 remake by Gus Van Sant—a shot-for-shot reinterpretation that unfortunately didn’t do well at the box office. Not to forget the 1987 TV pilot, Bates Motel, which flopped because it didn’t feature Norman Bates. In more recent years, a new TV series titled Bates Motel, starring Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga, took off and offered a fresh take on the characters, running for five successful seasons.

When it comes to Bloch’s writing style in Psycho, it leans toward the pulpish, delivering a straightforward narrative that’s easy to digest. Despite its simplicity, the story remains gripping and uniquely eerie. I first picked it up back in 1998, drawn in by the tie-in edition featuring the remake’s poster. While Hitchcock’s film is iconic in its own right, the book unveils some interesting differences. For instance, Norman is portrayed as a short, portly man in his 40s, complete with thinning hair and glasses. The story begins with Norman in a heated argument with “Mother” before shifting the focus to Mary Crane—not Marion, mind you—who’s driving through a downpour. After stealing $40,000 from work, she's trying to escape to her fiancé, Sam Loomis. Their relationship is mostly built on letters and occasional phone calls; they’ve never been intimate. With Sam busy paying off his father's debts before marriage, Mary harbors a plan to return the stolen money. But fate leads her to the wrong motel, where she meets her gruesome end in the shower—beheaded, in contrast to the stabbing in the film. Following that, the plot continues to align with the movie, sprinkled with small surprises.

As for the stunning new edition from Abrams Press, it exudes an eerie allure. The jacket showcases Mary’s hand from the infamous shower scene, splattered with blood, while the spine boldly displays “Psycho” along with “A Novel by Robert Bloch.” The back of the jacket features chilling quotes from Peter Straub, Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock, and The New York Times, all accented with blood splatter. Even without the jacket, the hardcover is entrancing—blood-splattered shower tiles, complete with a textured debossed finish. Inside, you’ll find red endpapers adorned with a Bates Motel room key and a bloody shower drain, with even the edges of the book showcasing the blood splatter.

In my opinion, Psycho is an essential read for any horror fan. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone craving a dark, twisted story filled with captivating characters. This deluxe edition from Abrams Press truly is a treasure for Psycho fans.

⁓B.J. Burgess

Hey there! Just a little note: I’m an Amazon Associate, which means I earn a small commission when you purchase books through my links. If you enjoy the content on this blog and would like to show your support, consider grabbing a copy of the book here. It really helps me out, and I truly appreciate it! Thank you so much for your support!