Robert Bloch published the novel Psycho in 1959. After reading a review of the book in the New York Times, Peggy Robertson, Alfred Hitchcock’s Assistant, read the book and then gave it to her boss. Hitchcock explored several avenues for adapting the novel into a feature film of the same name before deciding to finance the production himself. He released the film in 1960. In the over six decades since Psycho, both the novel and the film, were initially released, it has never left the public consciousness. Bloch went on to write a follow-up novel to his original book. In addition, there have been four motion picture sequels, a “shot-for-shot” remake of the film, and a television series inspired by the original movie.

All of these versions of Psycho play with the original premise: Marion, an attractive young woman, steals a large amount of money and flees with it. She ends up at a remote hotel where she meets the lonely owner, who claims to be caring for his mother, who is an invalid. Marion goes missing, and her sister and Marion’s boyfriend search for her to discover what happened to her.

In Marion, Leah Rowan takes the basic elements of Psycho and reimagines them in ways that no one, until now, has done. The result is just familiar enough to seem recognizable before it crashes through the guard rails into unknown territory. In Rowan’s tale, Marion survives and, when she does, things do not look good for Norm (her stand-in for Norman Bates). Marion is feminine rage personified. Marion is acting out every time she has been subjected to unwanted touch, been patronized and talked down to, or passed over for a well-deserved promotion so the position could be given to a male counterpart (who is always less qualified and/or experienced). Once unleashed, Marion tears through the novel, wreaking havoc, fully aware that, while what she’s doing isn’t right, it isn’t entirely undeserved either. Rowan does all of this with a sly smile, a sense of humor that is not just dark, but coal black, strong irony, breakneck pacing, and, it seems, a bit of glee. Marion is wicked, wicked fun!