A smart, subversive reworking of a classic…
Rowen offers an alternate history of Psycho in which the woman behind the shower curtain survives in this compelling novel. After stealing money from her Manhattan employer to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, Marion’s plans unravel when she becomes stranded at a remote motel. There, she kills the proprietor, Norm Billings, in self-defense and is forced to reckon with the consequences of both theft and homicide. As she attempts to stay ahead of the authorities, the novel expands beyond its source material into a story of survival, family loyalty, and reinvention.
The premise is strongest in its examination of agency, recasting one of fiction’s most famous victims as an active participant in her own fate. Rather than relying solely on the novelty of its revisionist setup, the narrative explores how a single altered decision reshapes Marion’s future. The opening chapters proceed at a measured pace, and some of the novel’s psychological elements feel less convincing than its central conceit. However, the story gains momentum in the second half, when mounting stakes and unanswered questions drive the plot forward. Fans of literary retellings and suspense fiction will appreciate this thoughtful reconsideration of a cultural touchstone.
***
Pub date June 2, 2026
St. Martin’s Press
ISBN 9781250416469
Price $14.99 (USD) Kindle edition, $20.28 Hardcover
