A twist on Hitchcock's iconic classic Psycho-where the leading lady doesn't die, but instead turns the knife on Norm, kicking off a crime spree that turns the silver screen victim into a heroine for our times.
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. Leah Rowan is an author living in Brooklyn and the Catskills. Marion is her forthcoming thriller.
"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, USA Today bestselling author of Black Sheep
"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, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat
"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, New York Times bestselling author of Delicate Condition
"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, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here
