Who wrote the novel 'Psycho'?

Who wrote the novel 'Psycho'? Robert Bloch wrote it. Published in 1959, Bloch’s horror novel introduced Norman Bates, the isolated motel keeper whose relationship with his domineering mother is central to the story. The book is a psychological horror novel rather than a screenplay or film tie-in.

The novel was loosely influenced by the 1957 arrest of Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein, although Bloch did not know the full details of Gein’s crimes when he began writing. Gein’s disturbing relationship with his mother and his use of human remains later revealed parallels with Bloch’s fictional creation. Bloch completed the novel before learning how closely some elements resembled the real case.

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film was adapted from Bloch’s book, but the two versions differ substantially in characterization, tone, and plot details. Screenwriter Joseph Stefano reshaped the material, and Anthony Perkins’s screen portrayal made Norman Bates one of cinema’s most recognizable villains. A common mix-up is crediting Hitchcock with writing the novel: Hitchcock directed the film, while Bloch was the original author.