Marion by Leah Rowan
Publication Date: June 2nd 2026 by Macmillan Audio
Pages: 336
Audio Book Length: 10hrs 25min
Narrators: Natalie Naudus, Tawny Platis
Source: Publisher
Rating: ★★★★½
My
Thoughts:
One of the most iconic moments in film history is the shower
scene in Psycho. We all know what happens to Marion Crane, but what if
she fought back? What if she survived and Norm didn’t?
In this reimagining, “Marion” is devastated to learn her
sister has been abused by her husband. Desperate to help her escape, she steals
cash from the ad agency where she works and heads to Saratoga Springs. But when
her bus breaks down in a tiny town, she’s forced to take the only available
room at a rundown motel. Norm Billings, the owner, seems harmless enough and so
at first, Marion is thankful she has a place to stay, but things go horribly
wrong from there!
The story alternates between Marion and Hannah, a new
investigator searching for a missing woman. I liked Hannah, but I was rooting
for Marion from the start!
I loved this re-telling with Marion as the victor instead of
the victim! Yes, in real life this is a no-no, but have you ever sided with a
woman who was tired of being the victim and took justice in her own hands? A
few famous (infamous?) examples come to mind for me! This was a wild ride and I
wasn’t sure how it would work out. The little vigilante in me was hoping! There
were some twists I didn’t see coming, too!
I listened to the audio version narrated by Natalie Naudus
as Hannah and Tawny Platis as Marion which gave a clear voice each to POV. I
thoroughly enjoyed both narrators and it enhanced my enjoyment.
Marion was a riveting, clever reimagining! A definite
recommend!
4.5 Stars
Book Description:
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.
