BEAUTIFUL UGLY
Alice Feeney

I love Alice Feeney and she is an auto-buy, auto-request author for me. BEAUTIFUL UGLY is a solid thriller in the long line of great thrillers Feeney has crafted for us over the years.

BEAUTIFUL UGLY is set on a Scottish island, pardon me if I didn’t believe in its existence at first. We are following author Grady Green who a year ago had what the publishers are describing as “his worst best day of his life.”

He received some exciting news and when he calls to share the news with his wife the call ends with her silent on the other end, the line going dead. He never sees or hears from her again. She goes missing, not dead, not alive, somewhere in the ether.

This year, on the Scottish island, Grady is plagued with survivors’ guilt, is having trouble writing his next novel, and is having trouble moving on. He is there to write but oftentimes finds himself without words, without a good story, without the closure he so desperately needs.

The atmosphere is thick. The misdirection is the only thing thicker. The lies roll off of characters' tongues so smoothly that you’re never really sure whom to trust, or who is telling the truth, which is at times even hidden from them.

If you’ve read Feeney before, BEAUTIFUL UGLY may remind you of ROCK PAPER SCISSORS. It similarly explores marital dynamics and asks the question of who is telling the truth. In this case, as was with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, you won’t truly know where everyone stands until the very end.

I enjoyed my time reading it and I am happy to recommend it. It is perfectly set to be released in mid-January. And is a perfect fit for the coldness of winter and the aridness of the season.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

BEAUTIFUL UGLY…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was highly waiting for this book to be released but I was very disappointed. The story line and all the skipping around just didn’t grab my attention. I found it very bizarre and not relatable.

Thnank you to Netgalley, the publishing house, audio house, narrartor and the author for the opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this audio book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This was such a good listen! I loved the sound effects and the narrator was engaging to listern to.; he had great tone and cadence to his voice.he addition of the sound effects to the audiobook was such a great idea, it really added to the story and the atmosphere of the island..

Author Grady Green just found out that he is a New York Times best selling author. The only thing dampening this thrill is that his wife Abby is not home yet so he calls her with the exciting news and he hears her slam on the brakes because she sees a body on the road. He tells her not to get out of the car, but she does and then she is never seen again. All that remains is her red coat

A year later, Grady has lost everything, except his dog. they are living in a cheap motel and has writer's block. he can't sleep and cannot get his wife out of his head. His agent. Kitty sends him to a small isolated Scottish island to stay in a former writer's cabin to try to write a book to get his life back. But after arriving at the island, where he cannot take his vehicle nor is there any internet or phone signal, the strange people all know his business and Grady feels thatthere is something strange oing on. Then Grady thinks he sees Abby everywhere and he wonders if he is imagining things.

This was such a thrilling, creepy book with so many twists that kept me listening well into the night. That ending was such a shock. I was a little dissappointed with the last book I read by this author and this one has renewed my faith in Alice Feeney.

This was my first book by Alice Feeney and I absolutely loved it! Mysterious and atmospheric with a gripping plot, I couldn't stop listening! The narrator was a fantastic choice, too. My husband and I listened to this one on a long road trip and we had a great time discussing our thoughts. Can't wait to read more by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC. My review is honest and voluntary.

Holy Moly!!! This book was so good! Alice Feeney never disappoints but this may be my new favorite of her books. Multiple points of view and a great twist. Feeney’s latest domestic thriller keeps readers engaged and on the edge of their seats from the beginning to the end! It managed to shock me with one of the reveals in the book. I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it as the narrator did a great job bringing this clever and well thought out book to life.

Grady is patiently waiting for the call from his publisher, as he might have written a New York Times Best Seller! However, he wants his wife Abby by his side to help celebrate the good news. He is frantic when he learns that on her way home from work she disappears after stopping to help a woman lying in the road. Grady is grief stricken and believes he has lost everything… his wife, the ability to write, and all of their money. When an opportunity arises to write on an island all expenses paid, he takes the offer.

However, despite its great beauty, something sinister is happening on the island. There is no phone or ferry service to the mainland and Grady keeps seeing Abby everywhere. Is she really alive or is it just the insomnia, alcohol, and grief? What happened to Abby? Will Grady make it off the island? What really is happening on this island?

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early. I listened to the audiobook and it was amazing! The audiobook is so well done. There are phone conversations and walkie talkie communication that sound so realistic. This helps you feel so immersed into this world. Grady Green is an author hoping to make it on the New York Times Bestseller list. He is hoping to share this accomplishment with his wife, Abby. He calls her to see when she is going to be home because it is almost time for him to find out. While talking on the phone, his wife sees someone along the ride. She stops to see if they need help. The call drops. He goes looking for his wife. He finds her car with the phone seating on the seat, but she is gone. He struggles with the lose of his wife and gets consumed with grief. After a year, his agent wants to help try to get him out of this bad place. She suggests he go to this Island to focus on his writing only for him to found a woman there who looks exactly like his missing wife. This book is super entertaining, gripping, and is sparkled with some beautiful messages. Life is beautiful ugly, relationships are beautiful ugly. Highly recommend! Add this to your TBR immediately!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I’m a fan of Alice Feeney and this didn’t disappoint! In true Feeney fashion, I felt like I was going a little mad trying to figure out what was real and what wasn’t! The book built a great mystery and an even better reveal! If you’re a fan of Feeney’s writing you won’t be disappointed. This book is well worth the anticipation.

the narration and audio effects of this production are so well done! The sound effects enhance and do not detract, from the waves to the walkie talkie static...I am so impressed.

The writing was also phenomenal. It was a bit of a slow burn but still twisty and kept me on my toes. It left my jaw on the floor.

The audiobook production, though, is what really kept me engaged and thinking about this book.

I think this book broke my brain🤯 I’ve been craving a good thriller lately, and this book so delivered. I’ve never read Alice Feeney before, but I saw this book recommended by a bookstagrammer so I requested it on NetGalley. And boy what a wild journey it was! Beautiful Ugly has the perfect isolated and creepy Scottish island setting with a cast of unusual, suspicious characters and strange happenings. This book really hooked me in from the very beginning, and I was the on the edge of my seat the whole time, even as I felt like I was losing my mind. If you like twisty, suspenseful thrillers will unreliable narrators, I would definitely recommend this book!

Also, I listened to the audiobook, and the performance was excellent. The male narrator is the actor who played Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit movies, which I thought was cool, and I really liked the sound effects that were included in certain parts of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an advanced audio copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

2.5 Stars
This was a bit messy and I despised the way it ended (the reveal and backstory didn't make much sense to me and I have so many more questions than answers and I hate that). The writing was done well enough that it kept me interested and the audiobook narrators helped with adding to the story to keep me invested enough even though I didn't really care for any of these characters. Not my favourite from this author but still a decent mystery read.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

Where do I even start with this book?! Yet again Alice Feeny KILLS IT!

This book is about Author Grady Green's life slowly falling apart. Grady got the best news his latest book has become a New York Times best seller. On the same day his wife goes missing. Grady's life slowly falls apart as he mourns the loss of his wife. Without his wife, Grady hasn’t been able to write. Knowing that Grady does his best writing with quiet and little distraction, his agent offers him a cabin on a small island. It sounds like the perfect place so Grady happily says yes to the offer. However, when he gets to the island, nothing is as it seem.

This book had me on the edge of my seat with all its twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down. Everything about this book was perfect! This book's twists and turns will be living rent-free in my mind for a while. I can’t recommend this book enough!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc.

2.5 stars
I have to respect when a domestic thriller book goes for the big swing. There’s always the risk of missing though, and that’s what happened for me with Beautiful Ugly. For anyone who read His and Hers, it felt a bit like a similar vibe for the first half of the book as we went back and forth in time and perspective. And then came the swing with the big twists at the end. They were a miss for me, but might be a hit for others. The biggest hit for me was Richard Armitage’s narration.

I’m a big fan of Alice Feeney, especially her audiobooks. The production quality is always impressive, and the plots pull you in from the beginning. "Beautiful Ugly" does just that.

On what should be the best day of Grady’s life, he witnesses the last moments of his wife’s life via cellphone. With no body and her presumed death, a year goes by, and Grady finds himself unable to write, losing the last remnants of his old life and sanity. In what seems like an unexpected opportunity, his publisher offers him a chance to stay in a remote cabin on a Scottish island.

Once Grady arrives on the island, this dream quickly turns into a nightmare. He begins to see his wife everywhere—in every resident and in various mysterious places. Is Grady losing his mind? Has Abby returned from the dead to haunt him? What about the strange occurrences on the island and the articles about missing and abused women that keep turning up in the cabin and his car? Is his next big novel hidden under the floorboards? Grady desperately needs help to sort it all out before his nightmares catch up with him.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two-thirds of the book. However, the twist was a bit much for me. Some might disagree, but I’m not fond of the randomness of extreme plot twists. Despite that, this novel is genuinely a good time and definitely worth the read. The audiobook is also fantastic and makes for a superb listening experience.

Hovering between 3 and 3.75 ⭐️

Let me start with the most positive part of this book. The quote “Sometimes I think we are all the unreliable narrator to in our own life.” That line just hit right.

Me the first half of this book!:

“Are there a lot of small random island in europe that anything creepy just seems like nbd to the main character “

Cut to a dozen plot twists later…

Me the whole last 20 percent:

….What the heck just happened?!?”….

Me writing this review:

….. but seriously wtf just happened….. (suffering from plot twists whiplash)

♥️ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

One minute Grady was on the phone with his wife Abby and the next minute she tells him she has to get out of the car to help a woman she sees in the road… and never returns back to her car. Beautiful Ugly jumps right in like a classic Alice Feeney thriller! I was interested to see how this one was going to play out. The book is told from two points of view and goes back and forth from the past and present. I do feel like the book was a bit slow at times leading up to the twist, but believe her goal was to add confusion for the twist to really feel surprising. Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook!

I picked this book because Daisy Darker was one of my top 10 favorite books last year!
Beautiful Ugly did not disappoint! Great twist, I wasn't expecting it at all!
I loved the sound effects in this audio.

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

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book!

Beautiful Ugly
By: Alice Feeney
Narrated by: Richard Armitage, Tuppence Middleton
Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 01-14-25
Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Our story unfolds with Grady's conversation with his wife, Investigative journalist Abby. Grady is getting the call that he is officially a New York Times bestselling author on his latest novel. As he chats with Abby, she puts the phone down to look at a woman lying in the road, at which point she disappears off the face of the earth. The narrative then jumps to a year later, Abby is still missing and Grady can no longer write, wallowing in his grief. His literary agent, Kitty, is Abby's godmother, and is willing to give Grady a second chance to get his life and his career back on track. He takes a ferry to a tiny island off the coast of Scotland called Amberley, population 25. He sees a woman who is the spitting image of Abby wearing the very red coat she was wearing when she disappeared. He chalks it up to grief, knowing that when you have lost someone you see them everywhere. But is that what happened?

Narrative surrounding Grady and Abby's relationship builds a transparency and trust in their connection and the sense of his grief. As the story unfolds we learn more and more twists and turns-I am keeping this review spoiler free.....but buckle up! The local flair of Amberley is creepy and sweepingly descriptive. I love the way that Grady asks questions that an author, not an investigator, would ask. Amberley comes alive little bit by little bit, and you want to fully understand Grady's mind. Is he losing it? But the Amberley town keeps muttering, "people always see ghosts on this island."

A slight British accent on the male narrator. Frenzied and hurried pace as the action intensifies. Excellent Scottish accents on the Scottish characters. Short, descriptive sentences are PERFECT for audio, and the build up in this novel is filled with them. There are even a few "sound effects" telephones jangling, church bells, etc. I found this added to the story instead of detracted from it.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the Audiobook ARC. Book to be published January 14, 2024.

A lot of my reviews involve me saying a version of "I've somehow stumbled into three almost identical books in a row, so this felt predictable and stale," and indeed, I have been on a tear with thrillers about writers who are writing books (just finished The Plot and am about to finish Like Mother, Like Mother), but while this one does indeed share similarities-- especially with The Plot-- it still manages to feel unique and unexpected. There are definitely some hints of <i>Gone Girl</i>, but I appreciate that the publisher allowed me to make the connection instead of trying to draw a comparison in the blurb and setting the bar unrealistically high. No, this doesn't quite reach Gillian Flynn's level of genius, as the characters aren't as likable from the outset, but I cannot imagine anyone will see the twists and turns here. Even if you see one coming <spoiler>Kitty being a baddie/involved</spoiler>, there's no way you'll guess the batshit crazy way Feeney navigates the mechanics of it all. Did I love all of the choices with how the story came together in the end? No. Is it far-fetched? Absolutely. But kudos to the author for conceiving of something truly original and for being courageous enough to commit to the bit.
In the interest of not giving away anything, I'll keep this brief, but I would be remiss to not mention how much the performances of the voice actors and foley artists elevated the listening experience in the audiobook version.

Now THIS is how you do a thriller!!! I devoured every single second of this story. It gave me all of the creepy, tense vibes and I loved it!! Alice Feeney gives her main characters so many jump scares and somehow is able to portray that in such a way that gives the reader that same exact feeling of terror, it’s amazing. The twists and turns were sharp and I just loved the underlying theme (that I won’t name so that it stays a surprise for everyone that reads this 😌). The audiobook was phenomenal 👌 I will forever be an Alice Feeney stan 🙌

Short synopsis: After his wife goes missing, best selling author Grady Green goes to a remote island to get out of his writing slump.

My thoughts: Just like with every Feeney book there’s some completely unexpected twists and turns. I loved the island setting and the atmospheric writing. Feeney also has such a way with words, saying things a certain way to keep the reader second guessing. This is so unique to her writing style and always a win for me.

I really enjoyed the overall build up, and the ah-ha moments where everything all came together but I do feel like it wrapped up a little too quickly for me. I am still shocked at that open ending!

Read if you love:
- The book writing and publishing process
- Atmospheric reads
- Missing person
- Twists and turns
- Page turners (or burners)