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Psycho

Norman Bates spies on a woman undressing at his motel. He believes Mother, thought long dead, is there to protect him with a butcher knife.

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A strikingly designed, deluxe hardcover edition of Psycho, one of the most iconic horror novels of the 20th century, featuring a translucent jacket, debossed case, special endpapers, and edge-splatter.

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.

This beautifully produced collector's edition is a great way to experience this horror classic and perfect for displaying and gifting.

First published: 1959
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Pages: 176
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Book tags

Content warnings

Body Horror / Body Trauma
Death of a Loved One
Domestic Violence
Emotional Abuse
Gore
Graphic Violence
Mental Illness

Missing warnings do not mean other content is absent.

Horror profile

Scary: 3 out of 5
Creepy: 4 out of 5
Gore: Not rated
Disturbing: 4 out of 5
Weird: 2 out of 5

How we calculate this

These are editorial estimates of intensity, informed by reading and review evidence, then checked before publication. They aren't star ratings, reader-vote averages or a measure of quality.

Each dimension runs from 1 (low) to 5 (exceptionally intense). A 5 is reserved for strongly consistent evidence. People experience horror differently.

Scary: Fear, tension and immediate threat.
Creepy: Unease, dread and an uncanny atmosphere.
Gore: Graphic injury, blood and bodily detail.
Disturbing: Upsetting ideas and lingering psychological impact.
Weird: Surreal, strange and reality-bending elements.

We draw a filled profile only when all five scores have been reviewed. Unrated does not mean mild. Missing scores are not estimated from genre tags or your saved taste. This profile isn't a complete content-warning guide.