Psycho House

Psycho #3

by Robert Bloch

The Bates motel once again becomes the setting for murder, and investigative reporter Amelia Haines discovers that catching a killer can become a dangerous game as her best informants keep turning up dead. Reprint.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Horror Thriller

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Robert Albert Bloch was a prolific American writer. He was the son of Raphael "Ray" Bloch (1884, Chicago-1952, Chicago), a bank cashier, and his wife Stella Loeb (1880, Attica, Indiana-1944, Milwaukee, WI), a social worker, both of German-Jewish descent.

Bloch wrote hundreds of short stories and over twenty novels, usually crime fiction, science fiction, and, perhaps most influentially, horror fiction (Psycho). He was one of the youngest members of the Lovecraft Circle; Lovecraft was Bloch's mentor and one of the first to seriously encourage his talent.

He was a contributor to pulp magazines such as Weird Tales in his early career, and was also a prolific screenwriter. He was the recipient of the Hugo Award (for his story "That Hell-Bound Train"), the Bram Stoker Award, and the World Fantasy Award. He served a term as president of the Mystery Writers of America.

Robert Bloch was also a major contributor to science fiction fanzines and fandom in general. In the 1940s, he created the humorous character Lefty Feep in a story for Fantastic Adventures. He also worked for a time in local vaudeville, and tried to break into writing for nationally-known performers. He was a good friend of the science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum. In the 1960's, he wrote 3 stories for Star Trek.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third and final book in the Psycho series does not feature Norman Bates (and those who have read the second book will know why, so I don’t really understand all the complaints about his absence; I blame all the antagonist resurrections in horror movie franchises) but it’s none the worse for it.

The focus in this volume is on Bates’ legacy and how the actions of serial killers resonates down through the years due, in part, to the media’s role in sensationalising them. This isn’t what you’d call a thrill-a-minute horror novel, although it does have its moments, and a large chunk of what would normally have been the action-packed finale in other thrillers happens ‘off-screen’. I actually thought this was a novel approach and worked well, especially considering the themes of the book.

I definitely think this should have been the final full stop for Psycho, though, and I shan’t be bothering with the additional chapters in this series by other writers.

[Rodrigo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pues como se dice si segundas partes no son buenas... imaginad la 3ª, un despropósito.
Si es que han pasado 30 años desde lo de Norman Bates!!
En fin, la historia se quiere relacionar con el caso Bates, ya que se hace una replica de la casa y el motel para uso turístico en plan casa del terror, en fin vaya idea!!.
El libro no empezó mal, hubo una muerte en las primeras 10 pag!! Pero es que luego no ocurre prácticamente nada hasta el aprox 67% del libro, donde ocurren mas muertes.
La investigación ha sido escasa y el final, que final!!, por dios, mas precipitado imposible, solucionado en media hoja, y luego, claro si, lo van explicando...
Valoración: 2/10 (mejor leer la primera y olvidarse de 2ª y 3ª parte).
Sinopsis: El nuevo motel Bates se ha convertido en una atracción turística, la recreación del lugar de los famosos asesinatos, y los promotores se frotan las manos por las futuras ganancias. Pero hay una nueva figura expuesta, de carne y hueso, algo que nadie espera: aparece el cadáver de una adolescente asesinada a puñaladas.

Entre la avalancha de prensa y publicidad que el suceso lleva a la pequeña ciudad de Fairvale aparece la escritora Amelia Haines, que está investigando sobre los asesinatos originales en la mansión, y para quien este nuevo crimen es una oportunidad de oro para ganar fama y dinero. Pero atrapar al loco no será fácil y puede convertirse en la siguiente huésped permanente del motel…
#
14. El libro peor valorado de tu lista de pendientes de goodreads. Reto literario lecturas pendientes 2023.

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

Are you ______ kidding me?! Who the hell wrote this book? Certainly not Robert Bloch. I am convinced this was by R. L. Stine but for what intended audience?

At first I could not understand why such low ratings. Surely prior readers did not open a novel entitled Psycho House and expect Hemingway. But after struggling through I now see the light and it is DIM!

I gave this novel every benefit of the doubt: The high character count in order make a list of suspects and victims. assumed the author catered this novel moreso to the film fans rather than the original book. noted the attempt to regain the mysterious aspect of the original books rather than the horror of the films.

Still, it was a miss.

And what kind of abrupt conclusion was that?! I honestly thought it was a joke. To be book three off trilogy this novel did not end it just stopped. How rude.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little surprising to find this sequel may be the best of the trio. When Bloch penned the inventive Psycho, the story was a mishmash of psychological cleverness and twists, but he seemed to be writing an afterthought that he never figured would take off like it did. In Psycho House, the mystery is killer - pun intended - with clever red herrings and hints. We even get a demonologist of all things putting in the plausibility of a demon affecting Norman and his predecessors - sounds cheesy, but it was kept in the background and done so in a tasteful way which added to the story. Bloch wrote this one with confidence and strength, a delight and well-paced read. There's a glimpse of the past since the old Bates Motel and house have been rebuilt, a revisit to the doctor from the second novel, some new psychological inspection from a new leading shrink, reporters and police oh my. There is an interesting twist that the town itself may very well be twisted.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert Bloch's final entry into the loosely-connected Psycho series, Psycho House is an improvement over its immediate predecessor but still a world away from the genius simplicity of Psycho . As in the previous two books, the action is driven by copious dialogue and numerous scenes spent with the inner thoughts of the main protagonist, who this time around is a writer working on a book about Norman Bates' original killing spree. She's in town at the same time a rebuilt Bates motel is opened as a tourist attraction complete with wax figures and animatronics, a development that triggers anger in the local population and, seemingly, a new series of murders. Red herrings and rug-pulls abound as Bloch tries to keep you guessing, although he struggles to really keep it interesting. Hints that the Bates killings as well as the subsequent murders committed in both Psycho II and Psycho House are the product of a quasi-supernatural contagion passed from killer to killer would be tantalising if it weren't such obvious misdirection. Inevitably, an abrupt finale brings the story to its rather blander conclusion and in what is now a Psycho tradition a conversation between survivors summarises the hows and whys of it all. "Why?" being the question that many readers of Bloch's Psycho sequels will be asking.

[Paige Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this final installment of the Psycho series by Robert Bloch, we have a rather interesting approach to sum this series up. For those that read the second book, you know that Norman does not make an appearance in this one for obvious reasons.

Instead, we follow a reporter who is investigating a murder of a young girl that took place at the infamous Bates Motel. The motel has been completely revamped and the house rebuilt that now houses a complete animatronic set up of the history of Norman and his mother, along with the murders.

We get insight from the pathologist, psychiatrist and police involved with the case. We even get a demonologist’s perspective. I found that rather interesting. This third installment definitely reads more as a mystery thriller vs psychological horror.

I’m curious what Chet Williamson’s Sanitarium will be like after having finished Bloch’s Psycho trilogy. I’ve heard good things. I’m looking forward to listening to it.

[Thomas Stroemquist]

DNF @ 45 %

I have no idea where this is going or who any of the characters are. There’s a demon hunter in here and Norman may have been possessed(?) If so, I don’t really want to know. The Psycho connection feels extremely forced and I’ll just forget about this late amendment.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm willing to give this one more than a 3, which may be what it deserves, because the plot was so implausible and I was so convinced at the beginning that it was going to be like a bad horror movie sequel that the pleasant surprise threw me for a loop. This man took what I was completely sure was a terrible plot, and he really sold it to me. It is well written, well plotted and actually pretty darn believable. A nice finish to a trilogy that I really loved. Long live Norman Bates. I'll be reading more of Robert Bloch's books-- what a talent.

[Wendy]

Nope. Nope. Nope! This book was terrible! It was too much build up for a nothing conclusion. I always feel bad when I give a bad review but sometimes it is warranted. No stars... :(

[Lana Revok · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the first two Psycho novels (particularly the second one) but this was a major disappointment! It has a great opening and one other really scary part but the rest of it is just characters babbling on and on. Suffers from a severe lack of action. Feels like Bloch wrote this one strictly for a paycheck.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 2 1/2. Meh. Love Robert Bloch though.

[Bookfan53 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final book in the Psycho trilogy. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised,the book was well written and one or two bits in the book were really quite creepy. If you are expecting Norman Bates to show up you will be disappointed. The book is set many years after the terrible events at Bates Motel. Norman and Mother are long gone.
I would recommend this trilogy to all Psycho or Bates Motel fans, these are well worth the read as they are so different from what you expect. I advise you read them in order as the second and third books do make reference to the first.

[T.C. Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed in this final installment of a series I have really enjoyed. The "horror" element was practically nonexistent. The thriller and suspense elements were limited as well. This novel came off as much more of a murder mystery than a horror or psychological thriller. It took 3/4 of the way through the book before my attention was in the story.

[Norma · Rating 1 out of 5]

¿Quién demonios escribió este libro?
Con este la trilogía se terminó de ir al carajo.

[Strawberry Fields · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book less than one star. 'Nuff said.

[Leigh F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this listen. The narration was amazing and I didn��t want to stop listening or for it to end.

[Caii · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.

I guess I just didn’t see the purpose of the series being continued.

[Jennifer Pusey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. The first book was pretty good. This happened to be available from the library. Not the second book, which got decent reviews, but since you get a summary of that book at the beginning of this one I don't think I will read it since I already know who the killer is.
Even though there were several murders this book lacked any sense of danger or foreboding. I doubt I would have gotten through it if it hadn't been an audiobook. And the ending? Big climax scene coming... and cut. On to explanation of who the killer is. What?! Lame.
I was looking for a nail-biter of a Halloween read. This wasn't it.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike a lot of other people I actually liked this! The tone and underlying themes change again as it did so with the last book, this time the book is more of a crime/mystery story.
I’ve come to realise that Robert Bloch didn’t write these books to follow Norman Bates but to look at mental health in a broader sense and how it affects society.
The book is slower than the previous two but I suppose the plot favours a slower pace. It also isn’t as ground-breaking as the first or as hard hitting as the second but it was still enjoyable and wraps up the trilogy nicely.

[Marvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This may be Bloch's worst novel. It is the third of the Psycho "trilogy" and just feels tired and old. There little of the authors' usual wit and style. By now the Psycho phase was worn down and nothing new is added in this book. The only real mystery here is why it was even written.

[Celeste · Rating 1 out of 5]

wow this sucked

[Glenn Patterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Excruciatingly dull, boring, and above all, stupid. Robert Bloch had either lost his touch completely or crapped this out in a few days to make a few extra bucks.

[Natalia Bas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libros leídos: ''Psicosis'' (1, 2 y 3), de Robert Bloch. Suspense, psicología, relaciones varias...

Como a veces pasa, ves una película o la has visto hace... y luego te enteras de que hay un libro, o ya lo sabías y ha llegado el momento de leerlo. No siempre el libro es mejor que la película, lo siento por los que lo defienden hasta la muerte. No voy a alargarme preguntando si habéis visto la peli de Hitchcock, al menos la 1º. Y si voy a confesar que el malo, en el libro, es diferente, en físico, al famoso e incomparable actor que conocemos; pero es difícil no verlo a él al leer.

Leí que el personaje de Norman está inspirado en un verdadero asesino que usaba la piel humana, como ya hicieron los Nazis en su momento: para decorar...

En fin... La narración, de una historia breve en verdad, es eficiente y calculada: vamos al lío y con calma... Calma.

La historia que se descubre a través de otra historia de la vida real, se torna difuminada; porque la madre del que parece un tranquilo y pensador protagonista, resguardado en un motel casi desierto, guarda ese secreto a voces, que creo que todos conocemos ya.

Un final esperado que continúa haciéndome pensar: ¿cómo consigue un perturbado aparentar no serlo?...



La 2º parte es algo peliculera, entre escapadas de instituciones y violación por el camino. Y un ''final'' para nuestro prota :(



La 3º parte es donde mi experiencia me da la razón en cuanto a médicos se refiere: no todos son vocacionales, ni están bien montados. Ahí lo dejo...

[Drew Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Maybe slightly over 2, but not quite 2.5.) Ten years after the grisly events that took place 30 years after the previous grisly events at the Bates Motel, certain residents have taken it upon themselves to recreate the infamous motel and the adjacent house, which had burned down. Other residents would rather forget the whole thing ever happened, and not subject their small town to a steady swarm of gaudy tourists interested in the gruesome affair. One Amy Haines, a non-resident and writer set on telling the real story about long-deceased Norman Bates comes to town, but her research takes a turn when it's discovered a new murder has taken place in the old Bates house, and the wax dummy of Mother has been stolen from the cellar. Whoooodunnit?!?

Yeah, again, I discovered this book shortly after discovering the previous one, which I discovered shortly after the original, and again, this book pales in comparison to Bloch's first Bates story, and shows more than ever that he should really just have quit while he was ahead. I didn't like the second one, but the completist in me, that guy who went out of his way to get both of these sequels from Inter-Library Loan, just thought he better stick with it. It's not quite as self-indulgent or bitter as the second one (which is basically a diatribe against Hollywood for cutting him out of the process of making a sequel film), and also not nearly as smutty or salacious (though there was some of that), but story-wise it was about as weak and boring, though, thankfully, 100 pages shorter. The writing is about on par with Psycho II, as are the characters -- too many, flat, unrealistic people who speak really unnaturally and are baffled by "outdated customs" like shaking hands and have to try really hard to understand the deep, complex workings of comic book word bubbles ("No mention was made of bellboy assistance and she didn't bother to ask; long before she crossed the lobby and reached the single elevator, the green eyes behind the counter were again eagerly attempting to decipher the lettering inside the balloons above the heads of the comic's characters" [20] ... Really? "Decipher"?? Is there a more convoluted way to describe reading comics?). There are lots of unnecessary asides and details (not like distractions and red herrings you might expect in a murder mystery, but totally superfluous information that slows the action and story down), and the writing is so full of clichés and bad puns ("As the captain of the Titanic used to say, 'It's just the tip of the iceberg' " [59]), it's hard to imagine this was given the okay by any reputable publisher. It's true I don't read a lot of "horror," but I do like a good mystery, and this isn't one (it's not good horror either). The demonology angle was unexpected, but that would really have made the entire plot so lazy and totally arbitrary -- if the killer's possessed, it could be anyone, so there's no need to even bother with trying to make credible motives or likely suspects. Amy Haines, she of the lopsided breasts for some reason, was dull and insipid as the coffee she's always complaining about (and those pages and pages of stream-of-consciousness mind-babble were really hard to get through sometimes), and Hank Gibbs, her local reporter pal, is smarmy and cheesy. There are also the requisite cardboard characters: the slimy (maybe incestuous) lawyer intent on making loads of cash on his new tourist trap, the shady out-of-towner demonologist, the local preacher man with a grudge, the trampy receptionist, the old-timer sheriff, the suspicious teen behind the motel counter (you know, the one who so struggles with comics), etc. etc. The way the author struggled to hang on to the Norman Bates character (mutilated beyond recognition as he is from the subtle elegance of his presentation in Psycho) was kind of pitiful, though it seemed for a very brief moment that the business with Claiborne might turn into something interesting. And then, like in the second book, the ending was abrupt and came out of nowhere, but not in a compelling, believable, "I-can't-believe-they-were-the-killer-all-along!" kind of way. And then, at the very end, he tries to throw in another little kicker from the shrink about how horrific and insane the world has become. Weeeee are in the asylummmm!!! Oh, the Message.

And oh, the Writing! I mean, check out this delightful excerpt from the first chapter, as the two perhaps lesbian perhaps 11-year-olds decide, after calling each other chicken (ooooh, burrrrn) to brave entering the old/new Bates house:

So it was like the old song Aunt Marcella used to sing--"Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go." Only there wasn't any river or woods, just the walk leading up to the porch stairs of the house on the top of the hillside. Not grandmother's house, but Mother's. Norman's, really, because his mother was dead. And he was dead too. It was the house that was alive--this new house (6-7).

Sooo... it's just like this one thing with this other thing, except not for that first thing, or like that other thing too. Was this really the most captivating way he could think of to describe what should be the creepiest thing a tween could ever think of doing? And who in the world is Aunt Marcella anyway?

The last book in Bloch's Psycho "trilogy" proves even further that he should have just left it at one masterpiece, instead of dragging it out with two completely unnecessary and barely related self-indulgent sequels. This one was slightly less salacious than the previous one, but the story was even sillier, so the rating just about balances out. Yeesh, I need to read some real writing now.

[Milena Henríquez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reto 2: Quinto círculo del infierno
"Un libro que tengas pendiente desde hace mucho".

La reconstrucción del la mansión Bates será pronto abierta al público como atracción turística, cuenta con maniquíes reales de Norman Bates y Mary Crane, sin embargo, la hija de uno de los socios de la atracción quiere mostrarle la mansión de noche a su amiga para mostrar su valentía y ser las primeras en visistarlo, lo que no esperaban era que sólo una de ellas saldría con vida ¿Habrá vuelvo Norman Bates de entre los muertos?.

Un eterno pendiente en mi librero que me animé a leerlo para el reto 2 de la #miedoton2021
Al fin terminé la trilogía de Psicosis, con menos ánimo en cada libro. Este último me pareció más forzado que el segundo, partiendo por la parte en que el ícono de estas novelas ya no está, como el sentimiento que dejó Halloween: Season of the witch sin Michael Myers.
Termina siendo una especie de novela policíaca predecible y un poco absurda, además de un pésimo final, te abre un suspenso mientras se acerca al enfrentamiento pero todo se corta abruptamente y se salta al momento en el que todo terminó y la protagonista se está casi despidiendo de los demás personajes, mientras medita los acontecimientos de manera resumida. Literal, me sentí como si estuviera corriendo y me hubiera dado directo contra un muro de cemento.
De verdad que esperaba que fuera un poco mejor que Psicosis II😢.

[Bert · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an absolute mess! It's told in the same intelligent, gothic way that Psycho and Psycho 2 were written in but there's just too much going on and nothing seems to make sense. There are about 3 different storylines all happening at the 1 time and far too many characters to keep track of, the author would've been better off picking 1 storyline (the one with the reporter writing a book about Norman was the best) and stuck with that instead of trying to combine too many elements into the 1 book.

Considering how much I enjoyed the first 2 books it's such a shame that this one took such a nosedive, great writing from Mr. Bloch but convoluted storytelling ruined it for me.

Give it a read but don't expect the brilliance of Psycho or the camp of Psycho 2. 2 stars and that's being generous!

[Alma Lectora · Rating 2 out of 5]

una tercera parte muy innecesaria. Sin sentido por todas partes. Un personaje femenino escrito por un hombre. Es horrible todo lo que plantea porque todo va en circulo a lo mismo, el sexo. Y luego, cuando se sabe quien es el asesino, no pueden demostrar las causas de nada porque está muerto. Y no es Norman. Que al pobre lo dejan fatal en este libro. 

Más sobre mi opinión en la reseña del blog
https://almalectora.wordpress.com/202...

[michael. · Rating 4 out of 5]

not only a vast improvement from the lacklustre second book, but a perfect conclusion to the iconic ‘psycho’ saga. in my eyes, robert bloch’s style of writing will be forever unmatched, and ‘psycho house’ being his final published novel proves that.

[Lizeth Corredor IG: los libros de Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

La verdad es una decepción, es de esas historias en que ya no saben que más escribir y solo alargan una historia que en principio atrapó, pero que ahora solo es más de lo mismo y con cada entrega es más ilógico

[Dann · Rating 2 out of 5]

What is Psycho without Norman Bates? Not much as it turns out in the third installment Psycho House. When an enterprising businessman rebuilds the Bates house as a tourist attraction a young girl is found murdered in it on the eve of its grand opening, bringing a crime novelist to town to cover the story, which gets bigger as more bodies pile up. Unfortunately the characters just aren’t that interesting, and the story’s not very well-written; as the sheriff is cartoonlishly dumb and is constantly trying to pin the murders on the novelist. And it’s not really clear what Block is trying to say by returning to the series in this way. Psycho House attempts to be a classic “who done it” murder mystery, but it gets sided tracked on minutiae that goes nowhere.