Absolutely spellbinding, the best so far from Alice Feeney. This is simply superb storytelling. Feeney explores those dark areas of the soul and human nature with exquisite ease, creating characters and situations that are so believable. This is a take that grips and doesn’t let go. The central character is a tortured soul after his wife goes missing and he retreats to a remote Scottish island, seeking solace and peace. His world turns upside down when he thinks he sees her…The clue to the heart of this book is in the seemingly ambiguous title. Feeney excels at reaching the dark side of humans. Scrape away the surface and all is not as it seems. What appears on the surface is not reflected beneath. And she extends this skill to places. The remote setting is superficially a place of healing but it too has secrets. This is just a wonderful adventure. Her narrative flows and there isn’t a wasted word. Miss it and be sorry.

This is the first time I have read a book by this author.

It started well, quickly describing a married couple and then moving onto a shocking event that changes their lives. Grady Green is a writer and his wife Abby suddenly disappears. His life goes into a downward spiral and his writing comes to a standstill.

I found the middle of the book really slow and very strange. The descriptions of the children in the mist and the mist/fog descending on the island had a mystical quality and it felt like the book was going in a fantasy direction. In the final third, the thriller element takes off and the plot is full of twists and turns. Parts of the final third were predictable whilst others were not at all. I found the ending quite unexpected.

I liked this book and read it quickly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This gripped me instantly and was really well paced, I just found the conclusion so bizarre!
3 stars.

I love author Alice Feeney, loved all of her past novels so when Beautiful Ugly came up to request I was quick to ask when I got accepted I had to literally put my other novels on hold and get stuck into this new one.

This novel is just a thoroughly great read, I loved the character of Grady - he has had a bad year, having had his wife just disappear suddenly and obviously Grady can not just forget about her.

He is an author and finding it hard to get his head back together he travels to a remote island and this is where he spots someone who resembles his wife.

This novel is like a rollercoaster that I did not want to get off.

The writing, as usual, was impeccable and the story line the same.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and author for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

How brilliant was this book?

Author Grady is waiting for his wife to return home to celebrate his successful new publication with him. But whilst on the phone to her, he hears something sinister and then his wife disappears.

Overcome with grief, he moves to a remote Scottish island. But strange things happen and he is certain he sees his wife there.

This book was fabulous, utterly unexpected, creepy in all the right ways. Yet another knock-it-out-of-the-park read from Alice Feeney.

5***** from me!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is absolutely not what I expected! The story is almost dreamlike, we follow Grady as he is trying to write a new book on an island off the Scottish coast.
Having lost his wife a year ago, in a sudden disappearance, he seems almost lost in life.

The story is interwoven with flair and definitely a good read.

The opening chapters of this book had me hooked from the start, I did find it a bit slow in the middle but it picked up with a shocking twist that I didn't see coming. This will keep you on the edge of your seat. I have read all the authors books and find her newer ones a bit different to her older work but overall I would highly recommend this thriller to anyone. I rated this 4.5 but rounded up to 5. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

This took me a while to get into, but then I was gripped - also was genuinely surprised by a reveal (no spoilers!). Would recommend for readers of the domestic thriller genre.

I really enjoyed this thriller and finished it in a couple of days. I liked the characters and the storyline.

3.5 stars for this book.
Strange story. I thought Grady was in a dream or in Purgatory for most of the book. I kept thinking of The Wicker Man , it had that cultish, insular feel to it. Lots of red herrings. I think the themes include: finding oneself, obsession, relationships, revenge and community. One thing that annoyed me:; the author is British, the story is set in Scotland but the book is written with American spellings! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an enook ARC

Hmm. Not sure what to say. I can see the appeal of a fast moving twisty scary thriller and I enjoyed the beginning and parts of it were very atmospheric. But, it all got too far fetched and silly for me. I think it's probably me , wrong audience.

Another delicious twister by Alice Feeney that will leave you guessing until the very end!

Author Grady Green lost his wife a year ago. While driving home on the phone with him, she sees something in the road, stops - and vanished. The car with all her belongings still in it is all that is found.

A year, later, Grady, still grieving, has lost everything. He can no longer write, his publisher wants the advance back that he's already spent, he's had to sell his house and his belongings. Having hit rock bottom, he's existing in a room in a one star hotel. When his agent Kitty offers him the use of a writing shed on a small Scottish Island, all expenses paid, to get back on his feet, he has no other choice left but to accept. And who knows, maybe this is the fresh start he needs?

But when he thinks he sees his missing wife on the ferry to the island, things begin to take a far stranger and darker turn than he could ever have imagined...

Don't look further than Alice Feeney for dark, unguessable thrillers with a killer twist!
I had already read and loved Daisy Darker, so I knew there would be a major plot twist coming at the end, but I still wasn't able to guess it.

I want to thank NetGalley, and PanMacmillan for a free review copy in exchange for a honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.

4.5 ⭐ WOOOW!! I can’t believe what i just read! Very original, twisty, page turner, and towards the end it did give me chills and felt kinda sad i won’t lie. I really don’t see anyone guessing or expecting how this could end. The narrator makes you feel anxious and go crazy with him, so well written but i didn’t expect anything less from Alice Feeney!! A MUST read for thriller lovers and non thriller lovers!

Thank you Pan Macmillan for the arc!

My first by Alice Feeney and it did not disappoint!

I breezed through this. It's a fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing till the very end. The characters are so well written which is pretty rare for thrillers.

The twists were unexpected but when I slept over it, I came to the conclusion that the twists were so far-feteched and unnecessarily serendipitous. I do see many people loving it.

Grady is an author who's having the best worst day of his life. His wife is on her way home to celebrate Grady's success. She's on call with Grady while driving when she suddenly hits the brakes because someone is lying on the road. Grady tells her not to get out of the car but she does. Ever since then, Grady's wife has been missing. Until one day he sees her on a remote island.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange of a honest review.

As always, there are plenty of twists and turns in this Alice Feeney novel, but a solid read rather than standout. The environment of the island, though, is brilliantly created - descriptive, evocative and beautifully atmospheric. It's a quick and tense read.

Alice Feeney is an author I stumbled upon a few years ago ago, now I have to read everything she writes. Beautiful ugly is by far the best twisty thriller that she has written! Loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the best, most thrilling books I have read in years. I picked it up and couldn't stop reading until 3 am. I read it in less than 48 days despite being super busy. Loved it!
A few notes: I will say that you can tell it was written by an American. As a Brit myself there were things that bothered me, such as "band-aid" (rather than "plaster"), "See you at THE London Book Fair" (we say "See you at London Book Fair") and the American spelling, of course. There were quite a few American expressions that should have been fixed by a Brit / Londoner.
The epilogue was quite gruesome. I needed to read something light-hearted before I could sleep. Not sure if I liked the not-happy ending... 😬
But all in all, brilliant book, great concept, wonderfully quirky characters and names. Great!

I can't get over how good this book was!
I absolutely LOVE Alice Feeney’s books When I saw she has a new book out next year I just knew I had to read it ! I think this is my favourite that I have read so far ! It's definitely is a must read in my opinion

Alice Feeney’s *Beautifully Ugly* is a captivating psychological thriller that masterfully blends suspense and emotion. Feeney’s signature style of dark twists and complex characters shines throughout the novel. The story unfolds with multiple layers of intrigue, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

The characters are compelling, if not always likable, and the narrative explores the murky territory between beauty and ugliness in both appearance and human nature. The pacing is brisk, with each chapter leaving you wanting more. While some plot points can feel slightly predictable for seasoned thriller fans, the strength of Feeney’s prose and the depth of the character development make up for any minor shortcomings.

Overall, it’s a gripping read that beautifully balances tension and emotion, leaving a lasting impression. If you’re a fan of thrillers with a touch of psychological complexity,

I love a good twisty tale but oh so often these days they don't live up to the promise, offering predictable outcomes and oft dull characters.

Not so with Alice Feeney and Beautiful Ugly (a great title that suits the story perfectly) because it is clever, descriptive and highly unpredictable even though you think you've worked it out several times.

The island setting is both beautiful and claustrophobic with a genuine sense of menace circling the well drawn characters. In a way it is a locked room mystery on acid.

I loved it, because the writing was terrific the plotting was intelligent and character wasn't sacrificed for the cheap shock. It was a Beautiful Ugly read.

Recommended.