ðə bˈʊk ɪz sˈɛt bᵻtwˌiːn ðɪ ᵻvˈɛnts ʌvðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl nˈɑːvəl ænd sˈaɪkoʊ ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː, ɹᵻkˈaʊntɪŋ ðɪ ᵻvˈɛnts wˌɪtʃ tˈʊk plˈeɪs ɪn ɐ stˈeɪt hˈɑːspɪɾəl fɚðə kɹˈɪmɪnəli ɪnsˈeɪn wˌɛɹ bˈeɪts ɪz ɐ pˈeɪʃənt.
The book is set between the events of the original novel and Psycho II, recounting the events which took place in a state hospital for the criminally insane where Bates is a patient.