It's been years since I read an Alice Feeney book because the last one I read-- I Know Who You Are --was so bad that it really put me off. But she's gained an impressive fan base since then; enough to make me want to try another. So here we are.

And I can now feel confident in my decision to avoid the author's books. Beautiful Ugly is simply one of those types of thrillers I never like and, for some reason, are extremely popular. The Freida Mcfadden-type thrillers where weak characters, loose plotting, everything is built around a wacky twist that of course you didn’t see coming because it’s so ludicrous.

We open Beautiful Ugly to struggling author Grady detailing his wife's disappearance a year ago. While on the phone to him, she saw a woman lying by the side of the road, got out to help her, and hasn't been seen since. Her car was found abandoned at the roadside.

Now, Grady is tortured by what happened to her. He can't sleep. Can't write. When his agent offers him a unique opportunity-- to live in the remote writing cabin of a much-loved and deceased author --even moving to a strange little island seems worth it if he can rescue his career.

The premise is interesting and there is enough in the first half that is compelling and eerie to make me give this two stars instead of just one. But there is not a single character worth caring about and, in fact, I cared less about both Grady and Abby the more I read about them. Plus, the further I got into the book, the more the implausibility mounted.

Everything is built up around the twist, and the truth is that I just couldn't believe in it. Part of the explanation of events made me laugh out loud because it was so bizarre and silly. Many characters behaved in a way that didn't make sense. And when we got to the whole island backstory, my god... what a convoluted mess.

I like a good twist as much as anyone, but it is not enough, for me, for it to be shocking. It also has to be somewhat believable.

A dark pacy thriller with marriage issues, isolation and seclusion. Grady is a best selling novelist whose wife dissappears and as he begins writing books again he is after a secluded location for him and his dog. He moves to a island but it holds more secrets than Grady could ever imagine. Fast paced, breathtakingly atmospheric.

I’ve only read one novel by Alice Feeney so far which I really enjoyed but wasn’t sure what to make of the ending. Thus I was curious to see what I would think of this novel. It’s very clear to me that she can write atmosphere so well. Her descriptions are great and I could picture everything clearly in my head. The atmosphere here is eery and Alice Feeney writes plot twists so well. It took some time until the plot really got going but I enjoyed the journey and will read more by the author in the future.

I have loved all of Alice Feeneys books and this one is no exception!
Beautiful Ugly is the most creepy and atmospheric psychological thriller that I’ve read in a long time and the ending is absolutely brilliant!
I shall certainly be recommending this to my friends and family, and can’t wait for Alice Feeneys next book!

For me a book of two halves - the first had real promise but I’m sorry, the second just missed the mark leaving everything a bit disappointing
Grady Green is at home waiting to hear if he has made it on to the New York best sellers list, he is also waiting for his wife Abby to return home. She is close by driving home from her latest job as an ivestigative journalist.
Abby and Grady are speaking on the phone when Abby tells him that she can see a body lying in the road ahead. Grady tells her to stay in the car and call for help. However she goes to see if she can help and that is the last that Grady sees of her - she disappears without a trace although her red cost is found by the police
A year later and still struggling with the loss, unable to write his agent loans him an isolated cabin on a remote Scottish island . He is troubled by insomnia, sleep deprived he begins to see Abby. But is she real or is he hallucinating?

Grady, having achieved success writing his first book, has been speaking to his wife Abby on the phone while she is driving home. However, she suddenly brakes, gets out of the car, and when he reaches the scene she is nowhere to be seen.

The story takes place one year later, with Grady suffering deep depression and unable to write due to Abby’s disappearance. Mainly told from Grady’s viewpoint and taking his editor’s advice, he travels to Amberly, a remote Scottish island hoping to regain his writing skills.

At first the island seems a refuge, but strange things start happening, Janice Feeney skilfully bringing a sinister element of danger, adding mystery and intrigue to this gripping plot. Short chapters helping to keep up the pace.

Characters are well described, and you begin to feel empathy with Grady as he interacts with the other islanders. The setting is beautiful but eerie, with surrounding overpowering tall dark trees, strange sounds and mysterious happenings, although seems far-fetched at times.

This is a gripping, atmospheric twisty plot, which keeps you turning the pages. The ending is unexpected, and dramatic.

Just like is typical for Alice Feeney, this book is full of twists, turns and shocks and it had me gasping out loud!!! The imagery in this story was amazing and the whole atmosphere was eerie and dramatic. I really enjoyed this one.

This was a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I was excited to read this one when I received the ARC and had pretty high expectations, which were met (kind of).

The book felt pretty slow to me but because of the setting and the strangeness I simply couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed the book and thought it was quite unpredictable. But, you do have to get to almost the end of the book for things to pick up. When things do pick up however, there’s twists upon twists with a killer ending, literally. Definitely worth a read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the ARC.

I have really enjoy Alice Feeney’s books previously so am a bit disappointed with this one. It took a long time for me to get going and even then it was still dragging in parts for me. The last 25% was fast paced but the ending didn’t wow me in any way.

I did enjoy the way the story was creepy and chilling at times and the descriptions of the island were vivid in my head as I read about them.

Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me but I’ll still look forward to reading another by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Author for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

A disappointing novel. The premise was interesting but the path to the final twist was laboured and tortuous. I had a feeling all the way through that I seen or read many of the plots points before.
Not the best Alice Feeney book I have read.

A really incredible thriller. A writer's wife goes missing. He is inconsolable. He loses the will to write. His money is all but gone. He is given a lifeline by his publisher; a writer's retreat on a small Scottish Island called the Isle of Amberly. Hopefully that will restore his writer's block. This is where it all gets rather weird, he starts seeing fleeting glimpses of his wife on the island but never really for long enough to take off after her. Now, for island read crazy place. This is where I got the feeling I was on drugs, an island of 25 soles but with a pub, butcher, general grocer, candlestick maker but no birds, no communications other than walky talkies and everyone in a zen like state, unless you are a grieving author. To a degree it reminded me of The Prisoner (a 1966 TV series). Our author starts to feel like a prisoner and wants to leave the island but there's no ferry to take him (at least that's what the islanders say). Could it get any weirder? Yes because it's a story within a story and some really dark stuff is revealed.
I found it a great read and I am sad that I've finished it. I don't think the title did it any favours though.

I liked it! I didn’t know what was going to happen and I did not expect the ending. I wasn’t blown away but I’d recommend!

Another absolutely brilliant book by Alice Feeney who never disappoints. Atmospheric, twisty and with a fantastic cast of characters this is a real page turner that keeps you so engaged and guessing right up to the very end. Grady Green is an author whose wife goes missing and a year later, after struggling to come to terms with her disappearance, he goes to a tiny secluded Scottish island to try and write again and get his life back on track. However he keeps seeing someone who he is convinced is his missing wife Abby. This had me totally hooked from page one. I could easily imagine all the different places and events and thought that the island itself and all the characters were described extremely well. I highly recommend reading this and if you haven’t read her previous books read them as well! Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love love love this book! As always, Alice's voice rocks. The sense of increasing and overwhelming weirdness and creepiness on the island - brilliant. The mega-twist - I had no idea, and it's unusual that I don't see things coming. And then, the ending?!?! PERFECTION.

Absolutely brilliant, loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

Having read several of Alice Feeney's previous books I was excited to get hold of an ARC of her latest offering and it certainly did not disappoint.
Grady Green, an author, is devastated when he finds his wife's car abandoned by a cliff edge one dark evening but she is nowhere to be seen. As his life spirals downwards his agent, Kitty, arranges for him to spend time on a remote Scottish island to help him put his life together again and re-start writing.
Grady encounters a multitude of interesting characters on the island and some very strange and sinister things start to occur in his new surroundings.
The novel is incredibly suspenseful leaving the reader constantly guessing what is really going on. Then, in true Alice Feeney style, we are hit with the killer twist from the Queen of twisty endings!
Definitely not one to miss!
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this highly recommended psychological thriller.

I usually like Alice Feeney's books but I wasn't sure about this one initially. It felt very bitty. It didn't comfortably fit in any particular genre just hinted at tropes from a variety of different ones. This was annoying at times as it kept one guessing as to where the book was going to fit instead of settling into the story. However, I persevered and the answer was it didn't fit in any particular genre. It was thriller, mystery, horror, a bit of everything beautifully brought together eventually in a quite unique story that had an amazing ending. In the end I really enjoyed the ride. I hope you do as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Twisty, very much a thriller, like being inside the head of a madman. Was he hallucinating, drinking too much or was it the “tea” the strange lady in green was giving him? Where WAS his wife? It all comes together at the end of the book in a scary plot twist. It would make an excellent series on tv!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this book. Light fun reading. The story moved at a great pace and even though a bit predictable, very enjoyable and I can't wait to read more from this author

I really enjoyed this book. It was confusing at times, when you thought you knew something there was a twist. Without giving anything away, at one point in the ending I though ‘ugh here we go’ but I was not disappointed- such great twists!