The final few chapters of this book were fantastic, the plot twist was not amazing, but even so, I felt it had finally started to get going. Shame this could not be said for the rest of the book.
I felt most of the storyline was repeated over and over again and for 80% of the book, there wasn't really any story, it could have been told within a few chapters rather than dragging it out and trying to make it a lengthy storyline, which is a shame as the ending was good.
It wasn't bad, just very drawn out with nothing much going on for more than half the book.

Wow—what a ride! This book completely surprised me, and that ending left me stunned. I’ve read plenty of thrillers with twists, but this one totally blindsided me.

Grady Green, an author, is eagerly waiting for what he hopes will be a career-changing call from his agent, Kitty. He wants to celebrate with his wife, Abby, but she never makes it home. On the phone with Grady he hears her car stop suddenly, she mentions stopping for a woman in the road. That’s the last he hears from her. With Abby vanished and his life spiralling. Unable to write, after a year, Kitty urges him to retreat to a remote Scottish isle called Amberly to focus on his writing. She owns a cabin there, that belonged to a late writer.

Told through both Grady’s and Abby’s perspectives, the novel unravels their marriage, their secrets, and their struggles, while Amberly itself becomes an unsettling character. With its isolated community, no phone signal, and strange rules, the island seeps with tension. As Grady begins to see Abby everywhere, you can’t help but wonder, how much is real, and how much is in his mind?

The atmosphere is gripping, the pacing tight, and the slow build of unease pays off with a shocking twist I absolutely did not see coming. The last few chapters are unputdownable. The ending for me took this from a 4⭐️ to a 5⭐️ read.

⭐ Highly recommended for readers who love atmospheric, twist-filled thrillers set in remote, haunting locations.

Thank you to #netgalley and @panMacmillan for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review, all thoughts and opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Surprisingly, this is my first book by Alice Feeney (even though I own a few that I have on my TBR). I really enjoyed myself. In part because I enjoyed the creepy vibes the remote Scottish island that Grady moves to exudes.

We follow a famous author who loses his wife in the beginning of the story. For a whole year Grady is beside himself because of her disappearance and he can't write a word. His agent gives him an offer he can't refuse: a stay at a luxurious cottage on a remote island in Scotland to work on his new book and to get his mind off of things.

As I mentioned this island is creepy. It's friendly, but there's definitely something wrong. Or is there.

Feeney has a good grip on the tension. It never gets boring, even though most of the book we follow one character as he tries to battle with grief.

The ending was a bit of a stretch for me. As the last 50 pages presented themselves I became more and more... I guess annoyed is a strong word, but I just didn't like the way it ended. They were good reveals, but not necessarily my personal taste.

All-in-all Alice Feeney is off to a good start for me with 3.5 stars!

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an early review copy!

Wow, so many twists and surprises. A well plotted page turner that kept me reading and guessing.
I had fun and enjoyed it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Firstly, thank you to @bookbreakuk and @panmacmillan for sending me this book and having me on the readalong I’ve really enjoyed chatting about this book.

In this book we follow author Grady, whose wife Abby disappeared a year ago. He’s never had closure, he doesn’t know whether she’s alive or not. He can’t write, he’s run out of money and has lost his house. His agent offers him a solution, another author left her his cabin on the isle of Amberley. She suggests he goes there, uses the peace and quiet with no distractions to write again. However, when he arrives on the island he find the residents are a little strange. Unusual things keep happening and he is certain he keeps seeing his wife. Is this real or is his mind playing tricks on him?

I have it be honest, I found the first half of this book quite slow. I struggled to be drawn in. It had creepy vibes, and I liked the tension that was building but I wasn’t quite hooked. However, the second half really picked up pace and finally drew me in and I couldn’t stop reading from that point onwards.

The characters are all interesting, all with their own stories and hidden pasts. The island itself feels like one of the characters. The writing is very descriptive and you can picture just what it would be like to be there.

I liked the fact we got some dual POV, some chapters were told from Abby’s POV just before she went missing and that helped us understand her more and her mindset,

The twists in this had me shook!! The last third of the book was just crazy, but in the best way possible. My jaw was on the floor with the events of those last few chapters.

I would definitely recommend this book if you love a tense, creepy thriller with great twists.

Loved this book with a totally unexpected twist. A bit strange but had me hooked from the start. I’d highly recommended anything by this author.

I love a good thriller that can you can completely emerse yourself in and you just can't put down the plot twists had me gasping as always and I had to keep flipping the pages until I new what was going on fantastic thriller

A tense story with creepy undertones. A good read and very atmospheric. I loved the setting on a Scottish Island with no help and strange people. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

On the remote Isle of Amberly, missing-author Grady Green retreats for solitude and recovery, only to be haunted by a woman who looks just like his vanished wife, Abby. Feeney’s signature unreliable narration and atmospheric setting—windswept moors, eerie silence—build a psychological fog that blurs truth and perception. Themes of betrayal, marriage’s fragility, and the corrosive impact of isolation are woven tightly into the story. While some plot twists feel over-the-top and the pacing occasionally drifts, the chilling ambiance and emotional undercurrents add weight. Feeney delivers a suspenseful ride of fractured relationships and dark community secrets. If you love unsettling psychological thrillers steeped in mood and misdirection, Beautiful Ugly will keep you guessing until its last page.

Twisty turny book that keeps you gripped...great location and vivid description....thought it prob had too many characters however....

Beautiful Ugly - Alice Feeney

If Alice Feeney wrote it, you better believe I'm going to read it! I get super excited about how she will surprise me. With Beautiful Ugly, she has done it again! I had no clue where the story was going and had so many trust issues. The writing is clever, with hints throughout, and the dark, creepy setting made me feel uncomfortable, unlocking a new fear of being stuck on an island. Feeney kept me questioning everything, making it an unforgettable read. If I didn’t have kids, I would have devoured this in one sitting.

Thanks so much to Pan Macmillan, NetGalley, and Alice Feeney for the ARC. 🖤

Available January 14th, 2025.

An intriguing plot with some strong pacing throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

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.

My Opinion

Beautiful Ugly was a gripping read. Grady is sent to live on the Scottish Island of Amberley to write his next novel, but all is not as it seems. With plenty of twists Alice Feeney has written an entertaining novel.

Rating 4/5

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A dark thriller about marriage and revenge. Grady is having a bad day when he calls his wife as she is driving home. The next thing he knows his wife Abby has disappeared without a trace. 12 months late he moves to a Scottish island to start a fresh. He sees a woman who looks like his wife but is it?

A classic page turner from Alice Feeney! This isn't be favourite story from Feeney but I was not dissatisfied at all The twists kept twisting - just what you would expect!

I loved how the tension was building up in this story, and at one point I was pleasantly confused. Sadly, the solution the author offers at the end spoilt it for me.

The last few pages felt like I was sitting at a couples counselling where I am explained what makes a good partnership and how many ways can women be abused in a relationship.

Yet, I enjoyed the book and I'm sure that I'll be reading further Alice Feeney novels in the future.

First off, this one dives headfirst into creepy‑island thriller territory—with that perfect mix of isolation, atmosphere, and shadowy secrets. Grady, our brooding author, flees to a remote Scottish isle after his wife Abby vanishes, only to get spooked by mysterious bones, ghost‑like locals, and a dead‑ring in the fog. The setting drips with tension: damp cottages, howling seas, and tight‑lipped islanders who feel two‑steps away from cult status. Feeney drapes suspense over every scene like wet moss—it’s cinematic, moody, and hard to look away from.

But let's get real: the twist? It’s a ride—until it isn’t. The big reveal that Grady himself tried to kill Abby feels less like a brilliant twist and more like a cheap card flip—pulled too late and a bit too hard. Some readers will grin, but a lot will groan at how it bends logic and character sense. Grady’s feelings of guilt and confusion are oddly underplayed, turning what could’ve been a gut‑punch into a shrug‑punch. And the island’s all‑woman-backstory? Interesting... until you're wondering why no one questions it. Characters beyond Grady and Abby stay flat—locals just lumber through scenes instead of adding real texture. Still, if you’re here for atmospheric chills, false leads, and a mystery that messes with your head—this one delivers a potent, if imperfect, thriller hit.

A highly accomplished shift of tone from an author I admire with a sense of creeping dread and compelling atmosphere.

Thankyou for giving me early access to this book. This was a great thriller. Good writing style and characters in this story.

Alice Feeney’s books are always my go to thrillers! The creepiness and suspense factors are incredible! This book was as amazing as I expected!