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Number One Fan
On her way to a speaking engagement, bestselling novelist Eli Grey gets into a cab and accepts a drink from the driver, trusting that everything is fine. She wakes up chained in the stranger’s basement. With no close family or friends expecting her to check in, Eli knows she needs to save herself. She soon realizes that her abduction wasn’t random, and though she thinks she might recognize her captor, she can’t figure out what he wants. Her only clues are that he’s very familiar with her books and deeply invested in the fantastical world she creates. What follows is a test of wills as Eli pits herself against a man who believes she owes him everything—and is determined to take it from her.
Terrifying and timely, set against the backdrop of convention culture and the MeToo reckoning, Number One Fan unflinchingly examines the tension between creator and work, fandom and source material, and the rage of fans who feel they own fiction.
Terrifying and timely, set against the backdrop of convention culture and the MeToo reckoning, Number One Fan unflinchingly examines the tension between creator and work, fandom and source material, and the rage of fans who feel they own fiction.
Audio CD
First published August 30, 2022
97 people are currently reading
8640 people want to read
About the author
Meg Elison
48 books1,115 followersMeg Elison is a science fiction author and feminist essayist. Her series, The Road to Nowhere, won the 2014 Philip K. Dick award. She was a James A. Tiptree Award Honoree in 2018. In 2020, she is publishing her first collection, called “Big Girl” with PM Press and her first young adult novel, “Find Layla” with Skyscape. Meg has been published in McSweeney’s, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Fangoria, Uncanny, Lightspeed, Nightmare, and many other places. Elison is a high school dropout and a graduate of UC Berkeley. Find her online, where she writes like she’s running out of time.
megelison.com
@megelison
megelison.com
@megelison
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
November 22, 2022
Only one book comes to mind after reading the blurb of “Number One Fan.” Stephen King’s “Misery.”
Eli Grey is a famous fantasy writer who got kidnapped and kept in a basement subjected to torture and abuse by a crazed fan. Seems pretty similar, right? But if you get past the obvious resemblance, you’d realise that the similarities end there.
The author molded a different direction and it worked for me. Although I wouldn’t give this a second glance in the future, to the writer’s credit—it was fairly enjoyable. Would’ve wanted a bit more from the ending, though. Still, this slightly eased my boredom. Just slightly so.
Eli Grey is a famous fantasy writer who got kidnapped and kept in a basement subjected to torture and abuse by a crazed fan. Seems pretty similar, right? But if you get past the obvious resemblance, you’d realise that the similarities end there.
The author molded a different direction and it worked for me. Although I wouldn’t give this a second glance in the future, to the writer’s credit—it was fairly enjoyable. Would’ve wanted a bit more from the ending, though. Still, this slightly eased my boredom. Just slightly so.
January 19, 2023
3⭐
Featuring ~ multiple 3rd person POV, drugged, abduction, stalker, body shaming, starvation, torture, attempted rape, assault
Eli is a bestselling author who made the mistake of getting in the wrong car after her flight. I have never been in a ride share and don't ever want to, but would you really accept a drink from the driver? odd.
We have the POV of Eli during her imprisonment, Leonard the captor, Joe her personal assistance as he gets the police involved to investigate Eli's disappearance, and flashbacks of email correspondents.
There's plenty of action to keep you engaged, but it was still somewhat slow going. There were definitely some difficult, squeamish parts. Overall, a fine psychological thriller.
I was able to listen to the final version as well, so I went back and forth reading and listening. Narrated by Vivienne Leheny for 10 hours and 54 minutes, easy to follow at 2.25-2.5x. She did a fine job.
*Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
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Featuring ~ multiple 3rd person POV, drugged, abduction, stalker, body shaming, starvation, torture, attempted rape, assault
Eli is a bestselling author who made the mistake of getting in the wrong car after her flight. I have never been in a ride share and don't ever want to, but would you really accept a drink from the driver? odd.
We have the POV of Eli during her imprisonment, Leonard the captor, Joe her personal assistance as he gets the police involved to investigate Eli's disappearance, and flashbacks of email correspondents.
There's plenty of action to keep you engaged, but it was still somewhat slow going. There were definitely some difficult, squeamish parts. Overall, a fine psychological thriller.
I was able to listen to the final version as well, so I went back and forth reading and listening. Narrated by Vivienne Leheny for 10 hours and 54 minutes, easy to follow at 2.25-2.5x. She did a fine job.
*Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
March 24, 2022
I was so intrigued and excited about the premise of this book. Unfortunately, it was just not for me. I did not enjoy the writing style and found it to be boring. It dragged for awhile and I DNF’ed it at 60%.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
September 19, 2022
Review Hidden for Reasons. :)
Will post again soon...
Will post again soon...
August 7, 2022
2.0 stars
This book is like a retelling of Misery… but bad.
This book is like a retelling of Misery… but bad.
June 13, 2022
Say hello to my new favorite book of the year!
Number One Fan, has blockbuster hit written all over it and if someone does not pick this book up to make it into a movie/series, they are absolutely crazy!
This book was absolutely terrifying! What nightmares are made of!
I LOVED IT!!!
This is the book I will forever recommend to anyone who asks. After I concluded I had to call my book loving pals and tell them all about it! I was completely consumed with everything I had read and just blown away!
WOW!
It is pretty darn hard to leave me speechless, but I am struggling to come up with words just for the sheer fact that my jaw is still on the floor.
Okay, okay, back to my review.
This book was just absolutely mind blowing, twisted, terrifying, and had me biting my nails right on down to the skin. To say I was afraid to turn off the lights would be an understatement. I clearly should not have read this book before bed !!!!
Do yourself a favor, please run on over to your favorite place to purchase books, and pre-order this book. I promise you, you do not want to miss this one!
Number One Fan, has blockbuster hit written all over it and if someone does not pick this book up to make it into a movie/series, they are absolutely crazy!
This book was absolutely terrifying! What nightmares are made of!
I LOVED IT!!!
This is the book I will forever recommend to anyone who asks. After I concluded I had to call my book loving pals and tell them all about it! I was completely consumed with everything I had read and just blown away!
WOW!
It is pretty darn hard to leave me speechless, but I am struggling to come up with words just for the sheer fact that my jaw is still on the floor.
Okay, okay, back to my review.
This book was just absolutely mind blowing, twisted, terrifying, and had me biting my nails right on down to the skin. To say I was afraid to turn off the lights would be an understatement. I clearly should not have read this book before bed !!!!
Do yourself a favor, please run on over to your favorite place to purchase books, and pre-order this book. I promise you, you do not want to miss this one!
August 28, 2022
I appreciate a thriller that doesn’t waste time and jumps straight into the action and this one did exactly that. The creep factor starts high and stays that way as some seriously disturbing shit happens to Eli while she is being held prisoner by her number one fan. SO creepy. There is a lot of on page descriptions of torture and most of it was hard to read, seriously parts scared me and I’m not easily spooked. But if you like the angle of a creepy stalker who is truly unhinged and getting a glimpse inside their head this was pretty good. I was unsettled the whole time and think if you’re in the mood for a dark and disturbing read this could be it.
August 22, 2022
Unputdownable.
Too relatable and spot-on at times.
Creepy and unsettling.
Unhinged villain.
Twisted and addictive.
Strong MC.
Claustrophobic and panic-inducing setting and scenes.
Could not put this one down! It is so entertaining and fun, and it will definitely make you re-think certain things and how you, as a reader or author, might interact and behave. Wow. I am pretty speechless! Just do yourself a favor and make sure you pick up a copy of this one!
Too relatable and spot-on at times.
Creepy and unsettling.
Unhinged villain.
Twisted and addictive.
Strong MC.
Claustrophobic and panic-inducing setting and scenes.
Could not put this one down! It is so entertaining and fun, and it will definitely make you re-think certain things and how you, as a reader or author, might interact and behave. Wow. I am pretty speechless! Just do yourself a favor and make sure you pick up a copy of this one!
August 28, 2022
This book was ok to me. As others have said, it was VERY close to the book Misery, but with a modern twist. The story centers on Eli, an author who is abducted by a fan and has to fight for her life while reconsidering choices she has made. You also get some chapters told in the POV of her assistant Joe (my favorite character by far) and the FBI agent, Carla.
Others have mentioned the graphic nature of the book but I love the horror genre and that didn’t bother me. What did bother me was Eli making decisions without thinking them through, and even worse, the suspicion of others around her plight. Though little of the book was centered on the investigation, I enjoyed that part as well, though I felt like I had to suspend my disbelief a bit at some parts. I have no experience with the cultish following of book series/cosplay/book conventions but I felt like I got the scene and it made sense to me while reading.
Overall, decent read but was a little too close to Misery while also not fully connecting me to the characters or decisions made. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Others have mentioned the graphic nature of the book but I love the horror genre and that didn’t bother me. What did bother me was Eli making decisions without thinking them through, and even worse, the suspicion of others around her plight. Though little of the book was centered on the investigation, I enjoyed that part as well, though I felt like I had to suspend my disbelief a bit at some parts. I have no experience with the cultish following of book series/cosplay/book conventions but I felt like I got the scene and it made sense to me while reading.
Overall, decent read but was a little too close to Misery while also not fully connecting me to the characters or decisions made. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 18, 2022
SERIOUSLY CREEPY! This one is not for the faint of heart and there are some scenes that made my stomach turn, but what a ride. There is not a ton of "mystery" in this one, since we know "whodunnit" from the beginning, but this does not take any of the creep factor away - I was on edge from the beginning and could not put this one down.
Thank you to MIRA for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to MIRA for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
October 29, 2022
Meg Elison continues to impress me with her writing. It is so engaging!
This is a thriller with some horror and it was a perfect slump buster and spooky read for the autumn season. I read almost the entire book in one day. (Had to leave the last ten percent because I was falling asleep.)
Content warnings: kidnapping, torture, misogyny, stalking, sexual assault, poverty, dysfunctional family, alcoholism, drugs, starvation, law enforcement.
This is a thriller with some horror and it was a perfect slump buster and spooky read for the autumn season. I read almost the entire book in one day. (Had to leave the last ten percent because I was falling asleep.)
Content warnings: kidnapping, torture, misogyny, stalking, sexual assault, poverty, dysfunctional family, alcoholism, drugs, starvation, law enforcement.
November 14, 2022
An easy 5 stars from me! This book was literally unputdownable! a perfect suspense thriller for lovers of books like Misery by Stephen King, or YOU by Caroline Kepnes!
September 21, 2025
I rounded this up from 2.75 stars actually. At first I really thought I might enjoy this but then there were some parts that just I just really thought were gross. Now, don’t get me wrong I love dark romance, thrillers and even horror but some of this just felt like for this story maybe some of what happened could’ve been done differently. There were quite a few chapters that were really slow also and felt they were like filler.
I did finish this though to see how it would end and the last few chapters were interesting to see how this ended.
I did finish this though to see how it would end and the last few chapters were interesting to see how this ended.
March 30, 2022
Terrifying! One of my worst nightmares in a book, but creeptastically and fantastically told by Elison. More Horror than thriller with a #MeToo era factored in. This author know how the scare the crap out of you. Loved it!
May 28, 2022
A harrowing story about trauma, fury, creativity, and the ways that violence perpetrated against women by men is so often about wanting to control someone you don't even see as fully human.
July 4, 2024
So the book starts ok but the behaviour of the abductor and how it ends is implausible and silly. Even if you don’t think so, the book is really forgettable and for me a waste of time to read.
March 15, 2024
This was excellent! Had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page until the very last.
August 30, 2022
Speculative fiction. Science fiction. Horror. YA. Adult. And now thrillers/suspense. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Meg Elison can write it all. It is a special experience to find a favorite author, especially when their skill and deft storytelling means you’ll follow them across genres just to see what new experiences are in store. Number One Fan marks the 6th book I’ve read of Elison’s and I’m here yet again to champion her writing.
Eli (short for Elizabeth) is a world famous author of a popular fantasy series. Despite the popularity of the books and the subsequent movie series, she is a singular person and does not have many close friends or acquaintances. Past girlfriends and other lovers just aren’t on the scene and the nearest person to her is her personal assistant, John. From the beginning, Eli is endearing, She’s a beautiful mess, curses just like one would expect her to, and is just an all-around believable person. She dresses how she wants, does as she pleases, and even though she’s tough, she’s vulnerable as well.
It may seem that the synopsis gives away too much. Readers will go into this knowing pretty much how she is kidnapped and have some idea of what might happen next. But stop right there - this is no Misery re-enactment, oh no. Elison tackles this crazed fan trope and puts a spin on it to make it wholly unique. There are plenty of things to appeal to the Misery crowd and stuff gets DARK, but there is SO much more to this story. I will say nothing else in regards to this because reader discovery is important. Just know that if I had my druthers, this would be shelved in the thriller section AND the horror section.
Read this book. Read all of Meg Elison’s books. If I had to pick a favorite author currently writing, it's her. The mixing of story with social statements is something expertly done in almost all of her writing. Don’t worry, this isn’t the Number One Fan kind of cheerleading, just a reader who knows something great when she reads it. For fans of Bracken MacLeod’s Closing Costs and all of Jennifer Hillier’s books.
Eli (short for Elizabeth) is a world famous author of a popular fantasy series. Despite the popularity of the books and the subsequent movie series, she is a singular person and does not have many close friends or acquaintances. Past girlfriends and other lovers just aren’t on the scene and the nearest person to her is her personal assistant, John. From the beginning, Eli is endearing, She’s a beautiful mess, curses just like one would expect her to, and is just an all-around believable person. She dresses how she wants, does as she pleases, and even though she’s tough, she’s vulnerable as well.
It may seem that the synopsis gives away too much. Readers will go into this knowing pretty much how she is kidnapped and have some idea of what might happen next. But stop right there - this is no Misery re-enactment, oh no. Elison tackles this crazed fan trope and puts a spin on it to make it wholly unique. There are plenty of things to appeal to the Misery crowd and stuff gets DARK, but there is SO much more to this story. I will say nothing else in regards to this because reader discovery is important. Just know that if I had my druthers, this would be shelved in the thriller section AND the horror section.
Read this book. Read all of Meg Elison’s books. If I had to pick a favorite author currently writing, it's her. The mixing of story with social statements is something expertly done in almost all of her writing. Don’t worry, this isn’t the Number One Fan kind of cheerleading, just a reader who knows something great when she reads it. For fans of Bracken MacLeod’s Closing Costs and all of Jennifer Hillier’s books.
June 2, 2022
This book terrified me. My absolute worst nightmare made real. I typically don’t read scary books. I have a soft heart and I get scared easily. This story is written extremely well. Elizabeth “Eli” Grey is a best-selling author who is drugged by her rideshare driver. She is then kidnapped by the driver who has an obsession with her and her books.
The book has an emphasis on consent, sexism, control, and the court of public opinion. The book felt a bit too on the nose in some cases and it honestly left me with a stomach ache.
The book is a test of wills: Eli’s, the authors, and us as readers. It messes with your read. Every page will have you gripped as Elison hits the ground running. A little nervous to get in an uber.
Read this book.
ARC provided by netgalley.
The book has an emphasis on consent, sexism, control, and the court of public opinion. The book felt a bit too on the nose in some cases and it honestly left me with a stomach ache.
The book is a test of wills: Eli’s, the authors, and us as readers. It messes with your read. Every page will have you gripped as Elison hits the ground running. A little nervous to get in an uber.
Read this book.
ARC provided by netgalley.
Want to read
May 15, 2022It's always going to be an uphill battle when you're going the Misery-esque route. I mean, Misery already exists, in both excellent film and book forms.
But after how much I loved The Book of the Unnamed Midwife, I'm 100% on board for this.
But after how much I loved The Book of the Unnamed Midwife, I'm 100% on board for this.
August 23, 2022
This is another celebrity stalker story; however, the celebrity in this story is an author.
The stalker poses as her Lyft driver and Eli Grey has no idea she is about to be driven to her own made up hell.
The stalker thinks he is the author and he created created her as the character in her book. Totally wild.
Fast paced and a spin on a classic thriller stalker book.
The stalker poses as her Lyft driver and Eli Grey has no idea she is about to be driven to her own made up hell.
The stalker thinks he is the author and he created created her as the character in her book. Totally wild.
Fast paced and a spin on a classic thriller stalker book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2022
This is the fourth of Meg Elison's books that I have read, and after finishing it, I was stunned. It hits like a sledgehammer. In Elison's prose, terror and fury are ever present. The horrors of this book -- both physical and psychological -- are explored in detail with such clarity that even after finishing the book (which I did in a single sitting), I feel unnerved. I'm still processing what to say about this book, because it left me so struck, but I can say this with absolute clarity: Read this book. Be ready to cringe and to cry, because you'll be inspired to do both.
November 10, 2022
"Number One Fan" is the story of a bestelling fantasy series author being kidnapped by one of her most ardent fans. He has convinced himself that she is the protagonist of her book series and that he is the actual author of the books, her being his muse and inspiration. Eli is locked up in a basement, tortured, assaulted, you name it. So TW all the way, be careful. While it was somewhat predictable and the detective part of the story was a bit weird, the novel was very gripping. It was a critical examination of fandom, plagiarism, incels, and also gender. Scary, really scary, and also disgustingly realistic. 4 stars
September 17, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.
This is a book that will be a perfect fit for readers who enjoy a slow burn, psychological thriller with big payoff. And of course, for readers who loved Misery and want to enjoy a beautifully done homage to it.
Right from the start this one dives into the action, which literally does not let up until the very last page. I really enjoyed getting into this one, despite the absolute frustration you feel for the main character and her literal helplessness in the face of a nightmare situation.
No spoilers - but this is a perfect spooky season read!
This is a book that will be a perfect fit for readers who enjoy a slow burn, psychological thriller with big payoff. And of course, for readers who loved Misery and want to enjoy a beautifully done homage to it.
Right from the start this one dives into the action, which literally does not let up until the very last page. I really enjoyed getting into this one, despite the absolute frustration you feel for the main character and her literal helplessness in the face of a nightmare situation.
No spoilers - but this is a perfect spooky season read!
September 27, 2022
A trigger warning for those who may read this book, it does feature sexual assault.
A lot of people are, and are going to continue to compare this to Misery by Stephen King. That's fine, Misery is a great work and Number One Fan does hold its comparisons.
However.
Every idea has been done at least 500 times. No idea is ultimately unique. It's how you use said idea that matters. And Meg Elison has used this idea to the fullest. This book is uniquely written, well done, and something I greatly enjoyed reading. I will be happy to place it right next to Misery on my shelf.
First off, the book doesn't just touch the "big author/kidnapper" trope, but it touches on so many issues. Issues ranging from racism, homophobia, and sexism. A reality that we often do not want to face. These issues go hand in hand with the plot, scaffolding off each other to bring together a beautiful work of fiction laced with the horrors of what we as people face. The book doesn't shy away from the accusations the minority faces each day, and rather uses it to project the story forward.
Aside from the issues presented, the plot itself is unique. It isn't JUST a tale of "Oh I love you stay with me forever", there's so much more to it. Don't sit there and let the synopsis of big author/kidnapper lead you astray and into something this story is not. Read it.
It jumps straight into the action, and doesn't let up. It's not torture porn by any means, but there are areas that make me twinge and have to pause for a moment because Elison does not pull back on the detail, no matter what's happening.
Five out of five, I will be reading this again.
A lot of people are, and are going to continue to compare this to Misery by Stephen King. That's fine, Misery is a great work and Number One Fan does hold its comparisons.
However.
Every idea has been done at least 500 times. No idea is ultimately unique. It's how you use said idea that matters. And Meg Elison has used this idea to the fullest. This book is uniquely written, well done, and something I greatly enjoyed reading. I will be happy to place it right next to Misery on my shelf.
First off, the book doesn't just touch the "big author/kidnapper" trope, but it touches on so many issues. Issues ranging from racism, homophobia, and sexism. A reality that we often do not want to face. These issues go hand in hand with the plot, scaffolding off each other to bring together a beautiful work of fiction laced with the horrors of what we as people face. The book doesn't shy away from the accusations the minority faces each day, and rather uses it to project the story forward.
Aside from the issues presented, the plot itself is unique. It isn't JUST a tale of "Oh I love you stay with me forever", there's so much more to it. Don't sit there and let the synopsis of big author/kidnapper lead you astray and into something this story is not. Read it.
It jumps straight into the action, and doesn't let up. It's not torture porn by any means, but there are areas that make me twinge and have to pause for a moment because Elison does not pull back on the detail, no matter what's happening.
Five out of five, I will be reading this again.
August 29, 2022
This is a case of 'should have known better' - what your mother told you not to do. Eli Grey, a bestselling novelist gets into a cab and accepts a drink from the driver. Boom! She loses consciousness, wakes up in a basement chained up. She has no one close to her who might be notice she's missing and Eli realizes she's going to have to save herself. Clues from her kidnapper tell her that he's read her books - like really well, and seems to be wrapped up in the fantasy world she created on the page.
The author emphasizes in the story many ways that anyone call find personal informaiton about you and act on it. It's just too easy to do. We see in the news where fans of celebrities have breached their privacy. In this way I think the book is timely and relevant. The story itself was tense and well paced. The plot was interesting using the author's work as the backdrop for the kidnapper's fantasy. The stalker was really creepy and totally consumed with his fantasy world.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on August 30, 2022.
The author emphasizes in the story many ways that anyone call find personal informaiton about you and act on it. It's just too easy to do. We see in the news where fans of celebrities have breached their privacy. In this way I think the book is timely and relevant. The story itself was tense and well paced. The plot was interesting using the author's work as the backdrop for the kidnapper's fantasy. The stalker was really creepy and totally consumed with his fantasy world.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on August 30, 2022.
December 31, 2022
4.5 stars. Meg Elison is an amazing writer and she channels her inner Stephen King for this fantastic nail-biter of a horror read. A bit of a Misery homage with modern flare, this novel gripped me and twisted my stomach more than once. Elison's protagonist is strong and clever with a hardcore fighting spirit. Her antagonist is pure evil. Excellent twists, dark and horrifyingly realistic detail, and a heavily atmospheric plot that left me feeling deliciously claustrophobic. Gripping and entertaining.
September 13, 2022
This is a deeply traumatic book. I respect the author's clear experience with poverty, and I enjoyed her novella The Pill. However, this is Misery meets Gerald's Game meets Sad Puppies. It's hard to be a woman, but this book is unrelenting.
December 31, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. This was basically like Misery, only with a lot more torture. Ha. But seriously, there were a lot of tense moments in the book, a lot of violent ones, but it was also so incredibly suspenseful that I just could not stop reading. Great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews