A bloody and wickedly funny twist on Hitchcock's iconic classic Psycho. Trapped in a world full of sexism, abusive men and glass ceilings, Marion is on the run. Then one fateful night at a rundown motel, she turns the knife on Norm, kicking off a murder spree – and with the knife in her hands, she'll prove she's no victim.
NORMAN WAS HER FIRST.
Marion is in deep. She's stolen money from the Manhattan ad agency where she works in a desperate bid to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, but the bus breaks down before she can make it to Saratoga Springs. It's late at night, and the only place with vacancies is an old set of cabins on the outskirts of town. She pays for a room in cash, and ends up chatting with Norm, the young innkeeper who's handsome, charming and a touch hung-up on his elderly mother. Back in her room, she steps into the shower, scrubbing off the late-summer heat, when the curtain is pulled back...
Norm Billings is there with a knife. He raises his arm to strike, but before he does, Marion knees him in the balls, grabs the knife, and stabs the life out of him. Now, she's covered in blood, and she's a woman on the run—not just a thief, but a killer, too. Where will she go? How will she save both herself and her sister? And what mysteries will she uncover as she does?
In Psycho, Hitchcock shocked audiences when he killed off his protagonist. But what if the leading lady had fought back? Marion offers an alternate history of the most famous dead blonde to ever grace the silver screen. Only this time, the knife is in her hands—and she's no victim.
Genre: Horror
NORMAN WAS HER FIRST.
Marion is in deep. She's stolen money from the Manhattan ad agency where she works in a desperate bid to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, but the bus breaks down before she can make it to Saratoga Springs. It's late at night, and the only place with vacancies is an old set of cabins on the outskirts of town. She pays for a room in cash, and ends up chatting with Norm, the young innkeeper who's handsome, charming and a touch hung-up on his elderly mother. Back in her room, she steps into the shower, scrubbing off the late-summer heat, when the curtain is pulled back...
Norm Billings is there with a knife. He raises his arm to strike, but before he does, Marion knees him in the balls, grabs the knife, and stabs the life out of him. Now, she's covered in blood, and she's a woman on the run—not just a thief, but a killer, too. Where will she go? How will she save both herself and her sister? And what mysteries will she uncover as she does?
In Psycho, Hitchcock shocked audiences when he killed off his protagonist. But what if the leading lady had fought back? Marion offers an alternate history of the most famous dead blonde to ever grace the silver screen. Only this time, the knife is in her hands—and she's no victim.
Genre: Horror
Praise for this book
"Clear your schedule, because once you start reading this wildly original Hitchcock retelling, you won't be able to stop. Tense, thrilling, and packed with twists, Marion is a brilliantly constructed thrill ride from a bold new voice in horror. Every time you think you've got it figured out, buckle up - Rowan is five steps ahead, and you won't believe what she's got in store." - Andrea Bartz
"Disturbing, fierce, and unputdownable, Marion is a brilliant, feminist twist on one of the most well-known thrillers of our time. An intense, spine-tingling tale." - Julia Bartz
"A pitch-perfect thriller that feels like the primal scream every woman has been holding back her entire life." - Megan Collins
"Compulsively readable and clever as hell, this contemporary twist on Psycho has genuine scares and surprises. A sharp, fresh, wickedly fun reimagining. Rowan expertly builds tension while flipping the script on a classic. Marion is the ultimate horror/thriller." - Rachel Harrison
"A bloody tale of female rage, an ode to the bonds of sisterhood in all its forms, and one of the smartest retellings I've had the pleasure to read, Marion is the funhouse mirror version of Psycho I never knew I always needed. To take a story so ingrained in our Horror DNA and find new angles and deeper truths, to not just re-tell but truly reinvent, is a skill even Hitchcock would have to envy. And on top of all of that, it's just a Damn Fun Read! Leah Rowan is absolutely one to watch." - Rachel Hawkins
"Marion proves that the most famous dead blonde in the world can take back her narrative and her power. Don't miss this page-turning and fantastically feminist reimagining of an iconic Hitchcock character, a novel full of twists, heart, and most of all, justice." - Vanessa Lillie
"Within minutes of reading Marion, I knew it was going to be one of my books of the year. In this powerful novel inspired by Psycho, Marion challenges, questions and subverts every female victim stereotype we've either consciously or subconsciously absorbed in the thriller genre and left me thinking long after I turned the last page. Rowan hooks the reader from the very first sentence with a narrative voice that compels and captivates at every turn. Whip-smart, surprising and perfectly plotted with pacing that left me spinning, I can't recommend it enough. A brilliant novel that begs to be discussed." - Sarah Pearse
"Leah Rowan artfully constructs a juicy, cunning joyride of a thriller - it's clever, twisty, beautifully executed, and great fun to read. From the smart pacing to the complex characters, readers will not soon forget Marion. I loved this banger of a book, and could not put it down." - Sophie Stava
"A deliciously twisted retelling of Psycho by a masterful writer, and the rare book where plot, character and prose are equally gorgeous. This cathartic, feminist horror is for anyone who's ever watched Hitchcock and wondered about the inner rage of one of those famous 'icy blondes.'" - Danielle Valentine
""The Psycho retelling of my dark feminist dreams, Marion crackles with wry humor, savage action, and an electric tension that will keep it at the forefront of your mind, even when you aren't reading. In this tautly-written thriller, Rowan delivers a powerful sendup of a Hitchcock classic, putting his famous blondes behind the wheels (and the knives), rather than on the floor. What an incredibly entertaining and deeply satisfying tour de force." - Ashley Winstead
"What if Marion Crane hadn't died in the shower? In this chilling reimagining of Psycho, Leah Rowan asks what happens when survival hardens into something darker. Both homage and reinvention, Marion delivers spine-tingling echoes of Hitchcock while charting a bold, bloody new path for a heroine transformed into a predator. A fierce story of raw female strength. Hitchcock would be proud." - Stephanie Wrobel
"Disturbing, fierce, and unputdownable, Marion is a brilliant, feminist twist on one of the most well-known thrillers of our time. An intense, spine-tingling tale." - Julia Bartz
"A pitch-perfect thriller that feels like the primal scream every woman has been holding back her entire life." - Megan Collins
"Compulsively readable and clever as hell, this contemporary twist on Psycho has genuine scares and surprises. A sharp, fresh, wickedly fun reimagining. Rowan expertly builds tension while flipping the script on a classic. Marion is the ultimate horror/thriller." - Rachel Harrison
"A bloody tale of female rage, an ode to the bonds of sisterhood in all its forms, and one of the smartest retellings I've had the pleasure to read, Marion is the funhouse mirror version of Psycho I never knew I always needed. To take a story so ingrained in our Horror DNA and find new angles and deeper truths, to not just re-tell but truly reinvent, is a skill even Hitchcock would have to envy. And on top of all of that, it's just a Damn Fun Read! Leah Rowan is absolutely one to watch." - Rachel Hawkins
"Marion proves that the most famous dead blonde in the world can take back her narrative and her power. Don't miss this page-turning and fantastically feminist reimagining of an iconic Hitchcock character, a novel full of twists, heart, and most of all, justice." - Vanessa Lillie
"Within minutes of reading Marion, I knew it was going to be one of my books of the year. In this powerful novel inspired by Psycho, Marion challenges, questions and subverts every female victim stereotype we've either consciously or subconsciously absorbed in the thriller genre and left me thinking long after I turned the last page. Rowan hooks the reader from the very first sentence with a narrative voice that compels and captivates at every turn. Whip-smart, surprising and perfectly plotted with pacing that left me spinning, I can't recommend it enough. A brilliant novel that begs to be discussed." - Sarah Pearse
"Leah Rowan artfully constructs a juicy, cunning joyride of a thriller - it's clever, twisty, beautifully executed, and great fun to read. From the smart pacing to the complex characters, readers will not soon forget Marion. I loved this banger of a book, and could not put it down." - Sophie Stava
"A deliciously twisted retelling of Psycho by a masterful writer, and the rare book where plot, character and prose are equally gorgeous. This cathartic, feminist horror is for anyone who's ever watched Hitchcock and wondered about the inner rage of one of those famous 'icy blondes.'" - Danielle Valentine
""The Psycho retelling of my dark feminist dreams, Marion crackles with wry humor, savage action, and an electric tension that will keep it at the forefront of your mind, even when you aren't reading. In this tautly-written thriller, Rowan delivers a powerful sendup of a Hitchcock classic, putting his famous blondes behind the wheels (and the knives), rather than on the floor. What an incredibly entertaining and deeply satisfying tour de force." - Ashley Winstead
"What if Marion Crane hadn't died in the shower? In this chilling reimagining of Psycho, Leah Rowan asks what happens when survival hardens into something darker. Both homage and reinvention, Marion delivers spine-tingling echoes of Hitchcock while charting a bold, bloody new path for a heroine transformed into a predator. A fierce story of raw female strength. Hitchcock would be proud." - Stephanie Wrobel
Visitors also looked at these books
Used availability for Leah Rowan's Marion