For her, he's everything. For him, she's nothing.
What do you do when the person you love doesn't love you back?
You fight for them. Love isn't meant to be easy and passion will not be ignored. But the real question is, how much do you fight? How far do you take it before love leans into obsession?
For Sarah, there's no other option but to fight. Without him, her life's not worth living. She'll stop at nothing to finally have him by her side. Sarah wants nothing more than to start a family with him, to grow old with him, to fill the frames in her apartment with nothing but his face. She's studied every inch of him. Every one of his quirks. Every habit.
Scary story. Right from the beginning to the end, the story was brilliantly written. The main character’s love turning into an obsession was so beautifully etched out that there were times when I felt slightly breathless, just following her thoughts. What the author managed so effortlessly was to make the lead character like an everyday character which we meet on the road. How the flashbacks lead to the present, is truly horrifically well written. Enjoyed it.
You would not think that this was a first book, it is brilliant. The descriptive writing in the first part of this book is so good you can almost smell the scene. It also is a bit different, the flashback is just enough to fill you in, no useless trivia just facts. You cannot predict what happens in this story or the ending. A brilliant book from a very talented author.
This is a fantastic read, from the moment I picked it up I couldn't put it down. I was totally captivated by being inside the main character's head, I had to know what would happen next. I don't want to spoil the book by giving anything away, but the author wrote a fully fleshed out main character, who literally jumped out of the book, I had a perfect sense of her, her home and sad existence but at the same time made me terrified of her! Well done Hannah Palmer I can't wait to see what you do next.
This is an amazing thriller. It's gripping and edgy. So when does lover turn to obsession? When does it turn to dangerous stalking? She wanted him bad enough she would do anything to have him. Or die without him. If you enjoy suspense and mind numbing thrillers, this book is for you.
Sarah is in love with Liam. She spends all her time dreaming about their life together and making plans to turn her dreams into reality.
But Liam’s name is actually Noah and he’s never even said hello to Sarah…
This was such a clever, dark and twisted book! It’s as if Misery had been written from Annie’s point of view or Sweetpea without the humour but with the obsession turned up high.
I loved being in Sarah’s twisted point of view and unravelling the reason for the way she behaves.
If you’re looking for something intense, dark and different, I’d really recommend this indie published novel: it’s short but it packs a punch!
It's rare that I read a horror novel that is truly creepy. This one sure is, mostly because we know that stalkers like the main character live among us. Highly recommend!
I get really excited when I read stuff like this, as I feel like I've got to the party before everyone else, before the hype!! I'm baffled that people arent talking about Hannah, I truly am! I read her novel One Road In, and it was my first 5-star read of the year and, so far, my favourite read of 2022. So naturally, I had to read her previous debut novel Number 47. It's completely different to her later novel, but equally as good. It follows Sarah, who lives a fairly normal life but has a very unhealthy obsession with Liam. Liam doesn't know this, though, but he finds out soon enough, and things get really dark, really quick! It's so tense and intriguing, so well written, the characters are perfect and its just an extremely well executed thriller. Seriously guys, please start reading her work if you havent already, Hannah has a gift!
The author, Hannah R. Palmer, did a swell job of crafting such detailed work with twists and turns, disturbing moments and an ending that left me speechless. All key points that I look for in horror/thriller books. I could not possibly go on and explain my love for this book without throwing out spoilers and ruining it for anyone interested in reading it. This book is an absolute MUST-READ and I encourage anyone who enjoys thriller books to pick up this one or add it your TBR list (to-be-read list). Do not, I repeat DO NOT judge this book by it's cover because you'd be surprised of what's hidden between those white pages.
This book was short and packed a punch, perfect for an afternoon read. Follow our main character, Sara, as she meanders through life. We are given a general overview of the characters but things quickly spiral downward as we see that everything is not what it seems. This was a fun story full of tension and kept me wondering. This is far more of a character-driven story than I was expecting, but it worked really well!
This was a short, concentrated and punchy story! We quite quickly realise that Sarah, the protagonist, has... issues. The downward spiral from harbouring delusions to acting on them made this a real page-turner. This was a very tense and gripping read, reminiscent of Misery, which I consider one of the finest thriller novels I've read. An accomplished debut, from an author to watch - more of this please!
Unputdownable! A brilliant read, the descriptions really put you directly into Sarah's world, and the way each chapter ends has you itching to read the next bit. The first book in a long time that had me staying up way too late and forcing my eyes to stay open so I could read more!
Picked this up, and well, from the get go I struggled to put it down! Getting to know the character was an enjoyable, yet slightly unnerving experience. The pacing was excellent and the way the author's crafted the internal dialogue was brilliant. Can't wait to read more from Hannah!
Very gripping tale. At first I thought Sarah could be the very dark twin of Eleanor Oliphant but there is a lot more to the story than that. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
A brilliant read! The claustrophobic setting, complex main character and sinister undercurrent kept me hooked. It was interesting to hear the story told from the perspectives of the two characters.
For her, he’s everything. For him, she’s nothing – or is she? Sarah has to make Liam see that the other woman could never love him like she can. For Sarah there is nothing left to do but make Liam love her. She has studied everything about him and would rather die than not have him. What follows is a tense nail biting experience that will make you stop and think before offering help to a total stranger!
A look inside the deranged mind is what pops into my head when thinking of this book. The author truly lets you get inside Sarah’s tragically mixed up head. I love the way the author lets you see inside Sarah’s dreams showing you bit by bit what led her down this path of madness. I felt desperation for Liam, who just happened to be in the wrong place one to many times. The only reason I went with four stars instead of five was because of the ending. I found it a bit abrupt for me but others might enjoy that so please do give this book a try!
Well after a few chapters I thought, OK, I know where this is going and considered ending it there - but I didn’t. It suddenly picked up significantly and ran non-stop to the end. I didn’t think that I would have ever enjoyed a story like this but I was wrong. Only really two characters in the book and it turned out to be a very enjoyable read.
Ooh! This book gave me chills. The author has this wonderful ability to create a vivid and engaging world while deftly highlighting the sinister in a very realistic and believable way. I’ll be honest and admit that it took me a while to get into the swing of the plot, but it quickly took me on a journey I didn’t know I needed.
I loved this book! The pacing is quick enough to keep you turning the page, but you also have a chance to get to know the horrifically creepy setting and character really well. The writing is descriptive and vivid and immersive. I’ll definitely be reading future novels by this author!
I was really gripped by this story and it was a fun read. It would have been 5 stars if it had a little more background to the main female character. A few more details and it would have been a perfect read.
Number 47 is a thriller written by Hannah R Palmer, an author from South East England.
It is told, initially, through the eyes of Sarah, a young woman who has a deep, obsessive crush on a man named Liam. The story begins with a strong sense of ambiguity around Liam’s feelings for her, as he seems distant and extremely quiet. One day, Sarah sees Liam with another woman, and Sarah’s mind enters a downward spiral. As the back cover states, she’d rather die than not have him, and oh boy, doesn’t she make that clear.
So why pick this book up and read it?
The Main Character Hannah has an incredible way of building Sarah’s personality through her everyday habits, and I found that part of the story a pleasure to read. Sarah, as the story unfurls, becomes a much deeper and complicated character. This allowed me to learn what her likely response to certain situations would be. When things went pear shaped, I had to find out what happened next.
The Writing Style Hannah’s writing style and voice remain strong and consistent from start to finish, and makes the book approachable and comprehendible. Sarah’s thoughts and voice are distinct and it all flows naturally. There were no hang ups or moments were I needed to stop and reread.
Its Simplicity It should be noted that this is Hannah’s debut novel, and she has made a great decision in keeping things simple. The cast is small, and there are very few locations, and this is a good thing. It opens up space for character building and emotionally driven choices, either by Sarah or the rest of the cast.
A Quick Read This isn’t a long novel, but I like that. It makes for a quick, exciting read that you could put on the shelf and read twelve months later with the same joy.
Hannah Takes Risks Throughout the story Hannah has dotted little quirks that make you think what is really going on here?
The Negatives? Like with nearly every novel out there, there is room for improvement, such as:
Unusual Actions Some of Sarah’s actions, the more malicious type, come across a little out of character. Not so much what she does, but how she does it. Of course, Sarah can be interpreted differently between readers.
Is There a True Good Guy? I believe Liam was under developed, and what I mean by that is I couldn’t find a good, strong reason to want to root for him.
A Big Risky Decision Could Have Been Made Not to spoil the story, but there was a point in the latter half of the story where I wanted things to go even further than they did before the story came to a close.
So, What is My Rating? 4 / 5
Final Words An excellent debut novel! It is fun, thrilling and compelling from the first page. Go pick it up.
You can buy Number 47 on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle version. It is free with Kinde Unlimited.
This was an intriguing first novel from this author and had me gripped in places but frustrated in others. The story unfolds around Sarah and her obsession with Liam, with a back story that explores the reason behind her actions. A surprising ending