Alice Feeney, you brilliant, brilliant woman. This book delivered everything I could have hoped for, especially in the context of our current political climate. Feeney’s ability to capture tension, complexity, and the intricacies of human behavior is unparalleled. I was completely hooked from the first page and devoured the entire book in a single day—it was simply impossible to put down.

As much as I’d love to dive into a detailed review, I’m holding back because anything I say might spoil the twist, and trust me, it’s worth experiencing firsthand. The way Feeney pulls the rug out from under you is masterful, and the twist changes everything you thought you knew about the story. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking, fast-paced read with shocking revelations, this is the one.

Wow! What a book!
Two points of view - Grady and his missing wife

Grady is an author who just hits the bestseller list, when his wife, Abby goes missing. He sits in turmoil, refusing to write any more books and wasting away his remaining funds…

But then he gets an offer he can’t refuse and it all goes downhill from there.

I had no idea where this book was going nor any real guesses as to what was happening. I just sat back and let the audiobook take me on a roller coaster of a journey.

The ending was completely unexpected in several ways. I’ve definitely never listened to anything quite like this book, which is refreshing.

A huge thanks to the author, NetGalley, and MacMillan Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great book to listen to on audio. The narration was done very well and was very atmospheric. This was a creepy mystery that just wasn’t to my personal liking however. I did not like any of the characters. None of the characters had much depth, and definitely found most aspects of the book to be incredibly unrealistic. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity to read this book. I was eagerly awaiting this read- it was just a miss for me.

Wow, what an intense, twisty and atmospheric story! I was absolutely riveted and listened to this one in a day. This book has everything I like in a mystery/thriller: unreliable narrators, a missing wife, a creepy, a secluded island, a recluse author, and quirky characters....Was it believable? No. But it sure was fun and kept me listening.

It’s hard to write this review. Let me start with the fact that Feeney is an automatic read for me. I love her twisty novels. This one requires a humongous suspension of disbelief. My first thought after finishing the book was that it was a little silly, but then, while I was reading it, I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out what happened next and I really had no idea what was going on. The main character, Grady, was flawed but I was still rooting for him. The island where he seeks refuge and inspiration to cure his writer’s block after the disappearance of his wife, was very well described and the residents made a fun, quirky and mysterious background. The narration by Richard Armitage was, as always, perfect. I know him from his films, but I was also familiar with his audiobook performances, and he doesn’t disappoint here, creating unique voices for the whole cast. Tuppence Middleton was also great with her portrayal of the female character, and it’s fun to compare how both leads see the island and its inhabitants. The production itself is very polished, though I’m not a fan of using sound effects so that distracted me a bit. Of course, this is my personal preference and any readers who love the background sound will be very pleased. The real star is the plot. The main twist was very unexpected and, honestly, brilliant, and the author kept me on my toes. All the clues are there, even if I didn’t see them.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Macmillan Audio.

Alice Feeney has done it again! Another twisty adventure that keeps you guessing until the very end! I could not stop listening and finished the audiobook within 24 hours. I absolutely loved Beautiful Ugly!

Love love love! Alice really got me back on her side after not loving Daisy Darker. This On my way! Had it all, suspense, unpredictable twists, fleshed out characters and a rich setting. Grab this one when it releases in 2025!

I think I'm over this type of extremely twisty thriller that relies on a completely outlandish reveal for maximum shock value. Most of the book follows Grady, an author and horrible person, who is struggling ever since the night his wife disappeared. Every once in a while we get his wife Abby's flashbacks to the marriage. Abby is not as horrible as Grady, but I didn't care for her much either, which meant I didn't really care what happened to her. Grady ends up on a very remote Scottish island with a handful of inhabitants where weird, creepy things keep happening, including sightings of Abby. Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton do a fantastic job with the audiobook narration, but that wasn't enough to get me invested in this plot or characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio review copy.

Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook. This was absolutely incredible! Alice Feeney never disappoints. I had a hard time getting used to the narrators but once I did this book blew me away!
The queen of twists has done it again! Do yourself a favor and get a hold of the audio or written version of this book. I highly recommend!! Fabulous

Life is a fairytale that rarely hands out happy endings”
I really thought I was going to love this one, but I was just ok. I liked it all up until the supposed “twist” was revealed,lol it didn’t twist enough, and wasn’t really believable. People who liked Never Lie will eat this up though, that was another book where I felt like the twist was underwhelming, but had great potential.
*Macmillan Audio Arc*
3.5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book.

I really like Alice Feeney’s books. Rock Paper Scissors was the first book I read by her and this is reminiscent of that. We have unreliable narrators and while parts of it seem predictable, in the end you realize that was to throw you off. The twists were great and I didn’t see them coming. Which is a rare thing for me any more.

Both narrators did a wonderful job and I would highly recommend this book.

Do be aware of triggers though as this has some darker themes

While Grady is waiting for a call from his publisher announceing he has written a New York Times Best Seller, he learns that on her way home from work, his wife, Abby has disappeared after stopping to help a woman lying in the road. When he gets the opportunity to write on an island all expenses paid, he accepts. But 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. His it because of his insomnia? Because of the alcohol? Hallucinations? Or is she still alive?
This is a mystery thriller, and all along the read floats an air of disturbing strangeness. From the start you feel something is weird and wrong, but you can't quite put your finger on it. It takes a while to pick up (as I feel most Brittish books do, and it's totally a me thing, but they tend to be boring). I really got into it at about the 60% mark, and from then on, I couldn't put it down, impatient to find out what the heck was going on. I had a few theories, and some of them panned out. Alice Feeney's books are hits or misses for me. I loved Rock, Paper, Scissors and I Know Who You are, and I read every new book with the hopes that one will blow my mind as much as the latter did. This was not the one, and although the final twist was a bit surprising, it was mostly weird, not mindblowing. I did, however, enjoy most of the read!
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Alice Feeney does it again with another twisty, atmospheric, and gripping page-turner. Dare I say my new favorite of hers? I absolutely devoured this book, finishing the entire audiobook in one day. From the first chapter until the final, jaw-dropping twist, I was completely and totally engrossed in the story. I loved the eerie setting of the remote Scottish island, which made me feel almost claustrophobic. The dual POVs and timelines kept me guessing and created so much tension and suspense. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Feeney threw in another unexpected twist. I loved it and already want to read it again!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton. They were perfect for their roles and captured their characters' personalities well. I immediately recognized Armitage's voice from "Rock Paper Scissors" and knew I was in for a treat. The production of this audiobook was just incredible—kudos to Macmillan Audio. I loved the audio enhancements, like the sounds of the waves and the crackling of the walkie talkies. These extras, along with the excellent narration, made the story come to life, and I felt like I was right there on the island with the characters. If you read this book, I highly recommend the audio!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s be serious, this is Alice Feeneys best book yet! “Beautiful Ugly” is definitely my favourite thing she’s written and I’m excited to see if the general reading public agree with me 😂

This book is definitely giving the perfect vibes for a moody fall, the majority of the book is located on a scenic, nature consumed isolated island that also harbours eerie vibes and residents who are a tad creepy and unsettling in the sense that they don’t seem to want you to ever leave the island…

The plot follows book author Grady, a year has past since his beloved wife Abby mysteriously disappeared after getting out her car to check on a woman who was laying in the road. Her whereabouts are unknown and the case has gone cold.

Grady is since suffering from insomnia and a case of writers block whilst grieving such a devastating loss. His publisher sends him on an individual writers retreat, he is offered the residence of a recently deceased author, a cabin style home located on a remote island which can provide him with the peace and tranquility he may need to write his next big hit.

Everything about the island is weird including its inhabitants. what starts off as subtle strangeness kicks up to total hallucinations and missing wife sightings.

I enjoyed the plot as a whole, this was a quick read and I listened to the audiobook in one sitting. I enjoyed the dual POV and narration perspectives from both the husband and wife. The twist at the end was definitely unusual and by the big reveal it was giving midsommar vibes in the sense that it was starting to feel like a fever dream or mass hysteria where everyone else is insane and yet gaslighting you that you’re the crazy one 😂. I fully enjoyed the twist and the ambiguous ending so I mean this as a compliment.

Compliments to both narrators they each did a great job at personifying their characters and bringing them to life.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Alice Feeney for the ALC!

Publish dates: January 21st 2025

I was not ready for that twist!

I really loved this one. It kept me engaged the entire time. I kept thinking man this reminds me a little of Rock, Paper, Scissors and it wasn't until the end that I realized it was the same author! I might be binging the rest of her books next.

I received the audio as an ARC read from NetGalley. The voices were very clear and easy to follow at an increased speed. I typically listen at 1.75x speed. It was very easy to follow. There are some added sound effects that honestly creeped me out a couple of times and really added to the experience.

Twisty, creepy, atmospheric, and claustrophobic! All descriptions that make a great book. I highly recommend this book and audiobook.

I listened to this within 24 hours, I couldn’t get enough. I needed to know what was going on and what happened to Abby. I was NOT expecting any of the twists.

The narrators were great and I enjoyed the sound effects. This is the way an audiobook should be done! I listened at 1.75x and it was perfect.

One of the best I’ve listened to this year!

“There’s no need to be afraid of the dead. It’s the living you have to watch out for.”

It took a little time to really settle in to the mystery of Beautiful Ugly. This novel felt a tad too descriptive and wordy for a thriller—for me personally—and it was quite the slow burn. That said, it didn’t bother me while reading: one because I felt enveloped by the mysterious and bleak atmosphere of the island and two because I, also, am moving at a slower pace lately. Still, the overall pace struggled; offering little revelation throughout and then having one character spill their guts at the end to connect all of the pieces isn’t my favorite approach. Many times, though, while reading I was reminded of an earlier work of Feeney’s, His & Hers, and also of Flynn’s Gone Girl.

Feeney is widely known as the queen of twists that will send readers in to a frenzy to discover the outcome of her novels and Beautiful Ugly stays true to that legacy. I was talking to myself the entire way through the audiobook, certain many times that I had different pieces of the puzzle figured out. If readers are looking for a fast-paced, nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat thriller, this wouldn’t be my recommendation. However if readers are looking for a small town island mystery with foreboding undertones and a visceral atmosphere to cozy up to, this is the book.

Incredible audio quality with a compelling narration by Richard Armitage & Tuppence Middleton. Different sound bites were added in—the crackle of the walkie talkie, the lapping of the waves—that enhanced the experience of the story and made me feel like I was on the island. If you’re going to read this book, I think audio is the way to go.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for an honest review! Available Jan 14 2025

This was almost too scary/spooky for me, which I guess is the sign of a good thriller. That island was so atmospheric. I switched back and forth between wanting to move there and wanting to stay very far away! This will be another big hit for Feeny.

The story follows Grady Green, whose wife Abby vanishes during a phone call on the biggest day of his career. A year later, paralyzed by grief, Grady retreats to a remote Scottish island to write—but instead finds himself unraveling as he begins seeing Abby everywhere. Is she alive, or is his mind betraying him? And what is with the island inhabitants, something just isn't quite sitting right.

Set against the eerie beauty of the island, Feeney masterfully blurs reality and illusion, dropping twists amid an atmosphere of isolation and unease. The suspense through the book totally paid off in my opinion, but I hesitate to say much as to not spoil anything.

Rich in emotion and full of surprises, Beautiful Ugly is a gripping exploration of grief, obsession, and trust—I'd highly recommend fans of atmospheric thrillers pick this one up and give it a go.

The audio was also excellent with a little extra ambiance.

Wow. Alice has done it again, which isn’t surprising. I devoured this book in 24 hours. Not only is the audio perfection with the narrator and the sound effects, but the story was one of my favorites this year. You are left guessing at every turn, with no way of figuring out what comes next. This is proof to never skip a book by Alice Feeney.