At first, I didn't think the voice actor fit, but I grew to like him as it progressed. He definitely fits the part by the end. I did not like the added music. Hmm, now about the rest...
I'm torn. On the one hand, I did finish it, and it kept my interest, but on the other, it was totally not what I was expecting and was a bit of a letdown. It was just okay. A mystery yes, but not a great one.

Beautiful ugly is a story told by an unreliable narrator who’s wife disappeared while he was on the phone with her telling her exciting news about his career. The story fast forwards a year where he is struggling to write and make ends meet. His publisher offers him a cottage in a remote tiny Scottish island to help him write again. While on the island, he has strange encounters and even seems a woman who strikes a very similar resemblance to his lost wife. Is this psychosis from his insomnia and alcohol use? Or do the people on this island know something he doesn’t?

The book starts off very slow and I’d say part of the buildup did not add much to the twist in the end as I’d hoped.
Overall, I didn’t love the book but didn’t hate it either. The story has potential, and Fleeny has a clear talent for building suspense, and having you question why and how, but it didn’t quite blow me away.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney, my first book by this author, and I can already tell it won’t be the last. The story is packed with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Feeney would drop another surprise, leaving me second-guessing my assumptions. At times, the complexity of the plot had me going back and rereading passages to make sure I fully understood what was happening—definitely a sign of a well-crafted thriller!

The characters are fascinating, flawed, and engaging, making it easy to get invested in their journeys. Feeney’s writing style is sharp and compelling, and I appreciated how she wove suspense and emotion together to create a gripping read.

Though a few moments left me a little confused, I think that's part of the fun with her books—they challenge you to pay close attention and keep you guessing until the very end. I’m already looking forward to diving into more of Alice Feeney’s work in the future. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers full of unexpected twists, this book is definitely worth a read!

I listened to the audiobook and while the narration was well done, this story was just too implausible with flat characters that I didn’t care about. Alice Feeney is known for twists but for me it needs to feel organic and like an aha moment and this was just ridiculous. A miss for me.

Grady is an author, excited to share his great news with his wife but she unfortunately never makes it home that night. Grady is unable to write, sleep, or really function after his wife goes missing.

After a year of struggling, Grady’s agent offers him the opportunity to stay in her cottage on the island of Amberley so that he can focus on his writing and healing. However, during his stay in Amberley, things just get weirder and more confusing for him as time goes on and he can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right on the island.

The plot was unique, the twists were unexpected, and the overall depth and feeling in the story were very well written. It was eerie, suspenseful, a bit eerie, fast-paced, and mysterious. I did get a tiny bit confused at one point but it all came together for me shortly thereafter so it’s fine.

The audio book was very well done. The narrators were awesome and the extra sound effects were a nice touch.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be recommending it to others!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

It's been a year since writer Grady Green became a New York Times best selling author, and his wife went missing on the same day. He hasn't been doing well. He can't sleep, can't write and is out of money. Grady's agent suggests writing retreat on an island off of Scotland in a writing cabin that was used by one of her clients, and is now deceased. Grady arrives on the island, and strange things commence.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced listener copy. The audiobook has amazing narrators Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton. It also contains special effects that enhances the eeriness of the island. If you enjoy edge of your seat thrillers and crazy twists, this book is for you. I highly recommend it.

The audio was well done, loved the narrator. The book overall was okay. I felt there were parts that were just kind of there as filler. It was suspenseful and an interesting story to listen to. The twist was not expected, so that was fun

What!!! This was a wild ride. I could not stop listening this was that good. So many twists and turns it kept me on the edge of my seat. Thank you sooo much net galley!!

This book did not disappoint, and of course included tons of unexpected twists and turns that Feeney is known for. Because I'd read her books previously, I knew already not to trust anything I thought I knew, but even knowing that...I was still surprised repeatedly.

I listened to this one, and the narrators were SO good. I loved their accents and pacing (though to be fair, I always listen to books at 1.5x so they may have wished for me to slow down and savor more). Richard Armitage and Tuppance Middleton bring the book to life, in all its mystery and creepiness and confusion. The book itself is fascinating, but the narration (along with the creepy music) made it more epic, in my opinion. Definitely my favorite of the Alice Feeney books I've read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book! I was so looking forward to it and was thrilled to listen early. I always get such a thrill from reading advanced copies!

Entertaining and mindless but the vast majority of the story was plotless and pretty circular. The only novel parts were the beginning and the end. I was equally eager to see what was going to happen and ready for it to get wrapped up. You obviously knew there was going to be some twist at the end and it wasn’t what I was expecting so I did like that. Overall, good not great, entertaining not totally engrossing, and a little little spooky not scary/thriller. Thanks netgalley for audio ARC

Wow!!! Alice Feeney did it again! The twists and turns did not stop until the book was over!!! I had been looking forward to this one for a while and it most definitely did not disappoint!!! A wife who disappeared, an author husband, a strange and mysterious Scottish island..... I did not want to put this one down!

Queen Feeney! Wow this book was amazing. The most perfectly atmosphere, creepy, confusing, frustrating, enthralling thriller I’ve read in a while. I never knew what to think, what to trust, and the MCs feeling of losing his mind made me feel so off kilter. No spoilers but this book BLEW ME AWAY. I am shocked and obsessed.

You MUST listen to the audiobook! For the narrators’ emoting to heighten the atmosphere and for the perfectly timed sound effects.

If you like unexpected plot twists, unreliable narrator, feminist themes, light spice, fabulous writing, and great narrators, you should absolutely read this twisting and turning tale by Alice Feeney.

This book had some spice which I'm not a fan of, but it was highly integrated into the story, so it worked. This book was so unexpected that I struggle to find anything specific I can discuss without revealing a major plot twist!

It seems there are no reliable narrators in this book. It is hard to tell who you can trust.

I loved the STRONG feminist themes in this book and the way the author flips reality on its head.

This book will have you twisting and turning until the very last page.

I want to begin by expressing my gratitude to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to hear this book early in exchange for my review and thoughts. I was eager to read this book because I greatly enjoy Alice Feeney’s work.
This book was truly distinct in its theme and concept compared to anything else I’ve read. Thrillers are among my favorite genres, and this one stands out as a top-tier thriller. I loved the island's oddness, which kept me on edge, eagerly anticipating what would happen next.
The numerous twists often left me questioning whether what had just occurred was real. The final twist had me standing there in shock, thinking, "OMG."
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique thriller that offers plenty of surprising twists!

This is the first Alice Feeney book I’ve read and definitely will not be the last!!! It started out slow and had me questioning it, but then I was sucked in. I couldn’t stop listening and HAD to know what happened next!!!! The way everything happened and came together was just so well thought out! I loved it!!!

This book was great! I normally have trouble getting into books with male or English narrators, and this book has both. But I was hooked from the start! I didn’t see any of the twists coming, and it was full of them. Can’t wait to read another book from this author

This is her best work yet! The plot is incredibly original—creepy and suspenseful in all the right ways.

The story revolves around a writer whose wife goes missing, and after a year,

he decides to go to a remote island to write his next book. The island itself is perfectly creepy, setting the tone for an unsettling journey.

With unreliable narrators and a gripping tale of revenge, this book has everything you’d want in a thriller and more. I couldn’t put it down! What a fantastic way to kick off the year with a solid 5-star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, Beautiful Ugly.

Grady Green just made the list for New York Times bestselling author. Grady calls his wife, Abby, to share the news. While on the phone, he can hear Abby encounter alarming circumstances which causes her to stop and to his horror, got out of the car to investigate. Later her car is found on the edge of the cliff with her belongings still inside and the driver’s door open.

One year later, Abby is still missing. Grady has fallen into a deep depression of grief and sadness. He’s lost everything and is desperate to get out of his writing slump. An opportunity arises to give the chance he’s looking for. While traveling Grady spots a woman who looks eerily like Abby.

I was swept up in this tornado of twists. I felt the emotional state of Grady. The details and descriptions of his thoughts and emotions were well written. I felt I was apart of the journey with him.

Listening to the added effects and sounds, made me feel as if I was at the location with these characters. I kept asking myself more and more questions to then experience a twist. I was very invested in this story.

I highly recommend the audio version. I appreciated the attention to details. Even with the change in voices and the additional sound effects. I do not want to spoil anything but you felt more submerged in Grady’s world.

I gave this 4 stars

This book is primarily told from Grady's POV. He is an author, who just found out he is a NYT bestseller, and then his wife disappears. Over the next year he loses everything - his house, his sanity, his ability to write. His editor sends him to a very remote island in Scotland to try and recover both his writing and his mind. But the island isn't what it seems. He continues to struggle to sleep, he discovers creepy things, he feels like he is being watched and he sees his wife EVERYWHERE.

This book had a lot of twists and turns, and while I didn't predict any of the outcomes, I did find the final few reveals to be a bit of a let down after all the build up.

Very creative story, interesting layering of past and present, and really good narration with sound effects. This was a very atmospheric and is the best Alice Feeney book I've read so far (I haven't read them all).

LOVED!

There was the perfect amount of suspense and shock that occured in this story. The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the MMCs wife had me guessing till the end. I really appreciated and loved the twist at the end! Especially the final ending! Brilliant! Feeney really has a way with keeping her readers guessing. Also appreciated the secret note within the book. I don’t want to say too much without giving away spoilers but I couldn’t put this books down. I loved it!

The audiobook was fantastic! The narrator was perfect for the story. I also loved that it was from a male perspective!

5 stars! Highly recommend.