This is a gripping and atmospheric thriller. Even with a slow burn pace, I was hooked from start to finish. Though I will admit there were time in the middle that tested my patience, but the twists and fast-paced ending made up for that! I love an unreliable narrator and multi-pov in a thriller.

Talk about Convoluted! This novel made my head spin.

Grady Green is a successful author, who just made the NYT Bestsellers list, a fact he shared with his wife Abby on their last phone call. The phone call during which Abby went missing upon stopping to help a woman found lying in the middle of the road.

Since that time, Grady hasn’t written a word (can you blame him?). His friend and Agent Kitty therefore suggests a change of scenery, thus he takes off for her cabin on the Isle of Amberley, a secluded area off the grid. What at first seems like a dream come true, and a chance to start writing again becomes something else entirely, leaving Grady alone, and very very afraid.

As this book progressed, I had no idea what to expect, though I was fully engrossed. While it wasn’t my favorite novel by Alice Feeney, the narration was stellar and I was wholly impressed Ms. Feeney for continuously coming up with such inventive ideas time and again.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the advanced audiobook.

I loved Daisy Darker so much that I keep trying others by Alice Feeney but I’m starting to think we’re not a good fit. This book was SLOW and uninteresting. I figured out most of the twist early on and it was a slog to get through this audiobook, particularly with the enhanced audio features of the crackling walkie-talkie, sounds of the sea, and ringing phones; they were annoying. The story never captured my interest and the twist, that I heard was so great, was lackluster. Maybe because it was built up so much, I was expecting more. I know Alice Feeney has many fans and I hope they truly enjoy this one but this was just not for me.

I received an ARC audiobook of Beautiful Ugly.
This is my unbiased, honest review. This psychological thriller is a 5 star read for 2025!

There aren't any definite spoilers with this review but there is a quote in the last paragraph. The narrator, Richard Armitage, is amazing. He'a a favorite of mine.

Grady is a New York Times best selling author.
He's waiting for his wife Abby, an investigating journalist, to make it home from work so they can both take a phone call from his team announcing if his newest book has made the list. His wife is talking with him on the phone, on her way home, when she sees something in the roadway. While on the phone, she gets out of the car and vanishes. Her red coat is found at the scene. There's a box found in the front seat of her car that contains a threatening item. He thinks she is being targeted because of what she has investigated in the past.

A year later, wife Abby still missing, Grady still hasn't written another book. Grady's agent Kitty allows him to go to a remote island off of Scotland to take the time to write a new book. The cottage he stays in was formerly owned by another best selling author named Charles Whitaker. Whitaker dies before writing his tenth book, the book was supposed to be the best book he has ever written.

The island is creepy. There is so much haunted history regarding the remote island and its community. Grady tries to write but keeps seeing a woman in a red coat, keeps hearing messages.
Grady can't sleep well. There are no phones that work and there is no internet coverage.

On the island, Grady writes a book against all ethical dilemmas and sends it to his agent. The book is not solely his own work and he soon finds out that someone on the island knows it is not his own. He is trapped on the island and won't be allowed to leave.

This is a masterpiece of an audiobook. The audible sounds are enough to keep you on the edge of your chair or up all night to find the truth. This audiobook will be a top seller and on many book club lists undoubtedly! This author has taken the rules of this genre and completely changes them!
The way those book unfolds is unimaginable. It is pure author genius. I could not believe the outcome. It has entirely messed with my head. I've never read a single book similar.

This quote from the book explains my feelings after reading this audiobook, "You've been served a triple decker shit sandwich with a side of completely f*cked, but it's exactly what you ordered." That is what I ordered with this book and that is exactly what I got! It was unputdownable and I loved it from beginning to end. I know you will enjoy it and I hope you die in your sleep.

#BeautifulUgly #NetGalley
#HopeYouDielnYourSleep
#MacmillanAudio
Reviewed 01/13/25
Release 01/14/25

Alice Feeney does it again!! This book had so many twists and turns. I loved the characters in the island. They were quirky and fun. I also really liked the narrators voice. He was easy to listen to. I loved the story line and the use of oxymorons throughout the book. I thought the twist at the end was enjoyable and overall I really enjoyed this book!

A HUGE thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the honor to listen to the newest release by Alice Feeney. This was by far my favorite novel by this author (and I've loved them all) but this one blew me away! It draws you in from the first chapter and the suspense does not stop until the very last chapter. An excellent listen while trapped in my house during a snow storm. The narrator did a fantastic job; I loved every aspect of this book! Grady and Abby were flawed yet likeable characters dealing with things every married coupled does but when one of them chooses their career over their marriage they must face catastrophic consequences. I could not stop listening to this one!

➳3.5/5 stars

"There's no need to be afraid of the dead, it's the living that you have to watch out for."

"Beautiful Ugly" was easily one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and I was counting down the days until its release. I couldn't have been more thrilled to get an advanced copy, and for that, I want to sincerely thank net Galley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the opportunity to read it early in exchange for an honest review. It truly felt like a gift to dive into this story ahead of time!

Alice Feeney has always been one of my go-to authors, the kind of writer whose books I pick up without a second thought as soon as they’re released. Naturally, I was just as eager to dive into this one. However, to say I was a bit disappointed would honestly be an understatement.

I’ve always loved her previous works and went into this hoping for the same magic, but try as I might, I just couldn’t connect with it. The story felt overly complicated, and some of the twists and turns didn’t even make sense, leaving me more confused than intrigued. It lacked the seamless brilliance I’ve come to expect from her books, and that was hard to ignore.


➳ ABOUT THE BOOK —

This story follows a couple with a crumbling marriage, desperately trying to hold on. One day, the wife mysteriously vanishes without a trace, no notes, no explanations, just gone. Her husband, frantic and heartbroken, does everything in his power to find her, but all efforts fail. The weight of her disappearance takes a toll on him, plunging him into depression.

Unable to write, he follows his agent’s advice to retreat to a secluded island for peace and inspiration. But the island proves to be anything but tranquil. He begins to see his wife, hear her voice, and experience eerie, unexplainable events. The locals are just as unsettling, raising more questions than answers. Did he finally find his wife? Was it all in his mind? And why did the island seem to awaken something so strange, so specific, only for him?

➳ ABOUT THE CHARACTERS —

╰┈➤ GRADY GREEN—

Grady Green, the husband , the author and male lead in this story, was easily one of the most frustrating characters I’ve ever read. Honestly, I can’t sugarcoat it this man lacked every ounce of common sense. As a thriller author, you’d expect him to pick up on the strange and unsettling things happening on the island, but no, he was utterly oblivious to even the most obvious clues. While I sympathized with him initially, thinking he was just a victim of his circumstances, it became clear that his cluelessness was his defining trait.

What also grated on me was how often the author repeated how much Grady loved his books and solitude. We get it he's passionate about writing and enjoys being alone. But the constant mentions started to feel redundant and unnecessary, adding little to his character. By the end, I was left shaking my head at how infuriatingly naive and oblivious Grady turned out to be.


╰┈➤ ABBY GREEN—

Abby Green, the journalist, the planner and female lead of this story, felt like such an insignificant character to me. Even now, as I’m writing this review, I can’t think of a single standout moment that justified her presence in the book. She wasn’t even the mastermind behind the plot, that credit went to her godmother. It felt like she was simply there to move the story along, without much depth or significance to her role.

That being said, I won’t deny that after learning about her past and what she endured, I did start to pity her. Seeing things through her perspective added some emotional weight, and I could understand her struggles better. However, even that wasn’t enough to make me truly love or connect with her character. I just wish the story had given us more insight into Abby’s thoughts and motivations, something that would’ve made her feel more fleshed out and impactful.

➳ ABOUT THE WRITING —

Now, you might be wondering, if I didn’t love much about this book, why did I rate it 3.5 stars? Well, the answer lies solely in how much I adore Alice Feeney’s writing style. Her storytelling is truly captivating, and this book was no exception. Despite my frustrations, it managed to keep me on edge the entire time. I found myself constantly thinking about what would happen next, unable to put it down until I had all the answers.

Her books always seem to have this effect on me, and honestly, that’s a testament to her skill as an author. Call me biased, but it’s the reason I rated this book as high as I did. Even when the plot or characters didn’t meet my expectations, her ability to grip the reader and create suspense carried the story for me.

➳ ABOUT THE PLOT —

When it comes to the plot, I felt it was overly complex and, at times, nonsensical. I kept waiting for that classic Feeney twist, the one that leaves you completely stunned, but unfortunately, it never came. The story felt poorly executed and exaggerated in parts, which only added to my frustration as I read.

What made it worse was the sense of wasted potential. The premise had so much promise, and I truly believe it could have been an incredible read if the execution had been stronger. Instead, the underwhelming delivery of the plot left me disappointed, and I couldn’t help but feel that the story fell short of what it could have been.


°˖➴ "Overall, if you're in the mood for a book that keeps you hooked from start to finish, making you think and constantly guess what might happen next, then this could be the perfect read for you." 💌

— Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Initially, I didn't know what to think about this one and I really still don't. Alice Feeney's writing is always gripping, and has a poetic layer underneath that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. The beginning and end of this one were wild, but the middle had me feeling confused more than anything. I can struggle with narrators who are questioning their own thoughts, whether that is due to substance use, mental health issues or other factors, and Grady Green didn't trust what he was thinking/seeing, so how could I?! That type of narrator does make me very curious, though, and I definitely raced to the end of this to find out the truth. The ending was exciting, shocking and FAST -- I wish it would have been slowed down a bit -- but that is usually how Feeney books go. I'm not sure where this falls in my author ranking -- I'll have to give it some thought. Overall, enjoyed this one throughout and was hooked!

What is the world did I just read??? a mysterious thriller on a Scottish isle where a write goes to be inspired. It is a fast read that just keeps twisting and twisting. The author has you going in different directions constantly. We learn right away that the main character is a writer who has just learned about his novel becoming a NY Times best seller novel. The first time for him. He is sharing this with his wife who is driving home to celebrate with him. She stops the car because someone is in the road. She is a journalist who has been receiving threats at work. He says don't get out of the car. She insists and leaves her cell phone on the call so he can here. This sets the story in motion. She is never seen again, and he tail spins into grief. To get him back into writing, his agent suggests a remote cottage where a former author she managed (also a prolific and successful writer) once lived. He takes the offer and the crazy begins. It's a hard book to put down. I am not generally thriller driven but this only was great, and the audio version was excellent. There are different voice actors for the author and his wife, and the accents are done very well. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.

"Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do." - Beautiful Ugly

Its Alice Feeney, do I really need to elaborate?

As a long time fan of Feeney, the can't eat, can't sleep, must get my hands on Beautiful Ugly, kicked in the minute I saw this beauty pop up on Netgalley.

Feeney does it again

Jam packed with twists and turns you will never know who you can trust. You think you have it figured out? You'll be DEAD wrong.

Beautiful Ugly is a must read

Check out this teaser :

Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.

This was my Book Of The Month pick and I also was fortunate enough to get an ARC copy of the audiobook so I was lucky enough to have them prior to release date!

Alice Feeney is definitely the queen of twists and this book did NOT disappoint in that area. I read ALOT of thriller books and I honestly could not guess how this book was going to end. It was perfect! It seemed to drag just a tad in the middle but in the end, it's everything you want in a thriller. The audiobook is fantastic btw!

I want to thank NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is probably my least favorite Alice Feeney.

I really enjoyed the twist and the reveal at the end, but for the rest of the book I was pretty bored.

Alice Feeney has a way of keeping you on the edge of your seat with every chapter! I listened on audio and the added sound effects were so creepy but in the best way possible.

An isolated island is one of my favorite thriller settings and this one brought the atmosphere I was looking for. This is definitely a sloooow burn so you will have to be patient but the payoff is well worth it. After finishing, I realized how much foreshadowing and clues I missed which makes me adore Feeney for being so clever. I went in between reading and listening and either format works well.

Wowwwwwww!!!!! I was addicted to this story & I really did not want it to end! I loved the entire story & I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the audiobook and it was FANTASTIC! This has to be one of my absolute favorite audiobooks EVER now! If you have the chance to listen to the audiobook, definitely do it!! I loved the extra noises to add to the story ahhh it was just so perfect! I couldn’t love this anymore than I already do! I’m obsessed! And then the ending?!?! And if you’re wondering if the words at the beginning of the chapters is real, I checked and it is!😂 This is the first time I’ve ever come across anything like this in a book before and it just made it so fun that it was real!

The entire concept of this story was just honestly brilliant and I will not accept any negative comments about this book! Was it a super insane twist? Not really, to be honest, but the story was set up perfectly to unravel the twists and ending! Overall, I absolutely loved this! I will recommend this to everyone now!

Feeney’s best novel yet! Seriously twisted story of a man investigating his wife’s sudden disappearance. Grady’s life has been haunted for the past year since his wife’s disappearance, especially since they were talking on the phone when she vanished. Grady’s grieving eventually takes him to a secluded island where things become seriously strange. Fast paced, and impossible to put down. If you are a fan a Feeney’s previous novels you will love this one.

"Beautiful Ugly" is an enjoyable suspense thriller with some major twists and an ending that will leave you breathless.

I was able to listen to an advanced audio recording and very much enjoyed the narration by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton. I thought Armitage conveyed much emotion as main character, Grady Green, and the townspeople of Amberly Isle.
Middleton voiced Grady's wife, Abby, and presented a "different" side of the character that we weren't privy to from Grady//Arimatge.
The English and Scottish accents were very well done and added to the authenticity and mystery of Amberly Isle--with the different island women/shop owners, etc.
Both were stellar in their narration and relaying much emotion from fear, despair, concern, and longing, to suspicion, regret and knowing.

WIth the audio, I also appreciated the wave sounds and other prelude music with most of the chapter changes. It helped to refocus or anticipate a shift in the story or a change of character--especially from Grady's POV to Abby's.

The story itself was an interesting premise. It felt very dark and suspenseful, and the remote feel of Amberly Isle--though only 10 miles from the mainland--was accentuated by the terrain, the quaint village, and the limited access (phones, ferry, etc.) to the isle.

The earlier part of the story did drag/lull, but around halfway, the drama and clues picked up, for me.

The last third was a welcomed pace change and that suspense and realization shone through the narration.

I enjoyed the female characters on the isle and how they banded together to protect the isle and its history and livelihood.

I would recommend this audiobook to those looking for a suspenseful thriller with twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the Advanced Listener Copy of this book.
I had also received a physical ARC copy from a Goodreads giveaway for the book, that allowed me to read along as I listened. The immersive read is my favorite way to enjoy books these days.

Grady Green was once a New York Times best selling author but since his wife went missing he’s having a hard time writing. When his agent offers to let him stay in a remote cottage he takes her up on the opportunity. Grady is surprised by the odd town and villagers. The most mysterious thing is that he thinks he keeps seeing his missing wife. Grady needs to figure out what is going on before it is too late.

I will never skip an Alice Feeney book! I was so excited to get an advanced copy of the book. The story hooks you and throws you right into the action. The majority of it takes place in an odd, small town. I loved the ominous, eerie feel of the village and villagers. The setting really added to the overall vibe of the book.

About half way through the story and it started to lose me. There is A LOT going on! There are multiple red herrings, it started to feel over the top and it was hard to keep track of every unknown. The twists were unpredictable and I didn’t see the ending coming. I enjoyed the beginning of the book but then there was just too much going on.

The audiobook is very well done! I loved all of the extra details (ringing phone, crackling walkie talkie), it really helped immerse me in the story.

I recommend if you’re a fan of Alice Feeney and like locked room, unpredictable thrillers!

This was my first Alice Feeney book & I can’t say I loved this book. I think it’s a bit slow for my liking. Towards the end it started to pick up, I was hoping for a bit more suspense. I listened to the audiobook but I think if I sit down and read it I’ll like it a bit better.

Beautiful Ugly had potential, but it missed the mark for me. The synopsis teased a thrilling missing-person mystery, but the story felt scattered, weighed down by bizarre side plots and unlikable characters. Abby and Grady, in particular, were frustrating—therapy and communication could’ve worked wonders. Even the island’s supporting cast had their own icks, making it hard to care about anyone.

On the bright side, the audiobook production was solid, with immersive sound effects. And Columbo, the dog, was a delightful bright spot in an otherwise odd story—definitely a good dog surrounded by weirdos.

Ultimately, this one wasn’t for me, but Columbo deserved better!