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!

Alice Feeney has been one of my favourite authors for quite a while and books like Beautiful Ugly is the reason why! This had everything I wanted from a mystery and then some. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, I was kept on my toes for the entirety of the novel and the end had me shook! It was clever, engaging, mysterious, atmospheric, twisty and just so, so good! I'm going to keep this short and sweet as to not give anything away and to just make you go and read it! A favourite of 2025 for sure!


Thank you SO much to Pan Macmillan for this advanced copy and making this bookstagrammer very, very happy!

An interesting read, first chapter pulled me right in and I was desperate to know what happened but I did feel the pace slowed quite a bit and almost became a bit repetitive, some good twists but none of the characters were particularly likeable (apart from Columbo the dog!).
I enjoyed it and it kept me wanting to discover the truth but I preferred Rock Paper Scissors.
3.5 stars from me.

An interesting take on a domestic thriller, where you're never sure what's going on. Is it the truth or a lie? Reality or an hallucination? The atmosphere is claustrophobic and the characters all mysterious.
Don't read it while you travel on a remote island...

This one has it all - the ambiance, the mystery, and ultimately the setting of Amberley just played out in front of my eyes. There were horror elements as well as a chilling undercurrent that was there on every page and it really intrigued me. I’m so glad I listened to this on audio as the narrator was incredible but those little extras really added to the experience and it definitely gave the creep factor. Alice Feeney really knows how to build the suspense and gives you just enough to keep you listening. The characters are well developed and just bring there own in terms of adding to the storyline. It might verge on unbelievable but I think the author took it just far enough to make it believable and to keep you engaged. It’s definitely a well thought out, unique storyline has many a twists and turns and it comes together well.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pam Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review #BeautifulUgly

Where and how to begin this review, my mind is well and truly blown 🤯. One of my favourite authors, I always look forward to the next release and it always astonishes me how much she excels herself with each book.

This was so tense at times, not to mention scary. The radiator incident completely freaked me out, initially I was feeling the story was going somewhere else, so it was a complete surprise.

There was so much going on, I loved all the characters, but at times, I did get frustrated with Annie for not standing up to the twins more, but all of the characters worked well together and I was constantly chopping and changing my opinion on them, especially Jasmine!

The main twist was awesome, completely out of the blue and unexpected, I never even saw a hint of a clue with that. I don’t want to risk spoilers as I just want to gush about it, it was just bloody brilliant!

This is a must read if you want a thriller full of family drama, gaslighting, deceit, misdirection, twists.

Y’all need to add this to your TBR!

What a brilliant read! I absolutely love Alice Feeney, and have thoroughly enjoyed all go her books.

I was gripped from the start and really loved this book. Lots of twists and turns which I did not see coming. I would highly recommend this and Alice's other books too. I can't wait to read whatever comes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read.

As someone who has devoured everything Alice Feeney has written, this novel exceeds the high bar she's already set—dark, intricate, and masterfully crafted.
The narrative centers on author Grady Green, still haunted by his wife Abby's unexplained disappearance a year prior. Seeking solitude and inspiration, he escapes to a remote Scottish island that quickly proves anything but peaceful. Feeney excels at transforming the setting into another character—initially captivating but gradually revealing its menacing undercurrents.
I found myself utterly engrossed. Grady's deteriorating psychological state kept me questioning every detail: Are his visions genuine? Is his perception of reality crumbling? The supporting characters are exceptionally developed—each eccentric, guarded, and contributing fresh tension to the narrative.
Feeney's signature plot twists caught me completely off-guard. Just when I thought I'd unraveled the mystery, she introduced something entirely unexpected that had me audibly reacting. The conclusion is shockingly brilliant—unexpected yet satisfying.
"Beautiful Ugly" delves deeply into grief, obsession, and the shadowy aspects of human connection. It stands among my favorite reads this year. For anyone drawn to psychological thrillers that challenge your perceptions repeatedly, this book delivers magnificently. Once again, Feeney demonstrates why she remains at the forefront of the genre.