Beautiful Ugly

Alice Feeney's latest novel, "Beautiful Ugly," is a haunting and exquisitely dark examination of marriage, vengeance, and the delicate boundary between seclusion and solitude. The narrative centers on Grady Green, an author who, following a personal tragedy, retreats to a secluded Scottish island to pen his next work. Immersed in his isolated environment, Grady becomes haunted by visions of his missing wife, propelling him on a convoluted path of self-exploration and the unearthing of a sinister secret.

The island, initially appearing as an idyllic haven for a writer, gradually reveals its true nature. Much like people, places can seem pleasant at first glance, only to show their true colors upon closer inspection. We inhabit a world rife with animosity and pain, yet there remains love and light for those who seek it. Every individual harbors the capacity for both virtue and vice, perceiving right and wrong through a subjective lens. Our society's obsession with an illusory ideal of beauty and perfection has led to a homogenized world, where people mimic one another in a relentless pursuit of conformity, often missing the broader perspective. We have to accept that while we may not change the world, but uniqueness should be celebrated rather than feared or condemned. Life encompasses both beauty and ugliness, and we must learn to embrace both aspects, finding light within the darkness. The world, relationships, and people are all "Beautiful Ugly." Recognizing this duality makes existence more bearable.

Feeney masterfully infuses the narrative with a dreamlike ambiance, creating an atmosphere that is charmingly deceptive on the surface and ominously complex beneath. The characters are intricately developed, with Grady's tormented psyche serving as the story's focal point. Feeney's prose is meticulously crafted, achieving a delicate balance of wit and dread that keeps readers engaged. It is intriguing how Grady's world revolves around himself and his literary pursuits, driving him to extreme measures. His deepest fears—of abandonment and oblivion—surpass even the fundamental human fears of death, abandonment, and failure, which we confront daily.

The novel delves into themes of marriage, grief, and the extents to which one will go for retribution. Feeney explores the profound depths of human emotion, scrutinizing the impact of isolation and the repercussions of past deeds. The narrative's twists and turns are both unexpected and indelible, prompting readers to question the nature of reality and the fragility of relationships.

The island's isolation imbues the novel with an eerie undertone, intensifying the tension with each page. "Beautiful Ugly" stands as a masterwork of psychological suspense, a poignant relationship drama, and a testament to Feeney's prowess as a storyteller. It is an exceptional read that resonates long after the final page.

Absolutely brilliant!

Oh my God! I devoured this one! What an amazing read which is a page turner for sure. As always Alice Feeney knocks it out of the park. I literally shrieked with joy when I received this book and rightly so when it comes to Alice Feeney. An auto buy author for a reason and this book once again proves why.

The story, writing style, leads and supporting characters are brilliantly charted out. Did not see the end coming and that's what makes this brilliant. As usual amazing use of the location and atmosphere to bring in the fear and nail biting thriller. I loved the premise of the book and without giving any spoilers the underlying themes and settings here. I swear some of the twists literally made me turn back a page.

Coming to the characters and how we sometimes perceive ourselves and others is beautifully written. The themes of family (at times beyond blood), love, insecurity and loss is again weaved well. A brilliant read that is my top book for the year for sure. Please pick this up and you will not regret it! Alice Feeney does it again and brilliantly!

Thank you Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.
Wonderfully atmospheric and beautifully written this is Alice Feeney at her best. A brilliant array of characters bring this story to life as the author leads the reader on a tantalising and intriguing journey and you have no idea where she is taking you. Super creepy, full of intrigue and suspense this soon becomes a highly addictive read. And. That. Ending. It will leave you scrambling back through the book. Insane! A five star read from the genius that is Alice Feeney

Grady Green is a writer whose wife vanished a year ago. He can't write anymore and wants to know what happened to her. When he's asked to go to a spooky island in Scotland, he says yes, hoping it will help him feel better and start writing again.

Once there, weird stuff starts happening, and he thinks he sees his missing wife. He doesn't know if he's going crazy or if something scary is going on.

This book is super exciting and full of surprises. It's like a rollercoaster that keeps you guessing until the very end. The writer is really good at making you feel scared and creeped out. I couldn't stop reading!

Everyone should read this book. It's amazing!

Grady Green is an author whose wife Abby disappeared a year ago. Since then he has been unable to write and is desperate to know what happened that day. When he gets an offer to travel to a remote Scottish island he jumps at the chance as this may be the chance to get back on track with his life and his writing. Only once there strange things happen and he seems to keep seeing his missing wife. From there he can’t work out if it is all in his head or if something more sinister is at play.

I love Alice Feeney books as you are guaranteed a beautifully written, twisty tale and thjs book offers these elements is in mammoth quantities. I think Beautiful Ugly is one of her top novels yet. Straight away I was drawn into the story and slowly the reader is drip fed information and back story which helps to give the reader an understanding into the characters and build up suspense towards the final chapters.

The cast of characters are brilliant and entertaining, Alice Feeney did a great job bringing them all to life. The author is also brilliant at creating a rich atmosphere. I felt a sense of spookiness and felt unnerved through out. Never truly being able to settle. At first I thought I knew what was going on but how wrong was I. By the middle I kept asking myself what on earth is going on!? I gave up guessing after a while and settled down to enjoy the wild ride. I thought I was immune to twists but this certainly proved otherwise! All I can say is everyone must read this beautifully, cleverly crafted thriller from an author who is at the top of her game. I can see this being a massive hit! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Wow just wow loved everything about this one! I went in without reading the description as with all her other books. Grady a best selling author has lost his way after the disappearance of his wife, Abby, a year ago. He’s offered a secluded cabin on the Isle of Amberly and a chance to write again. The island is ominous and it holds many secrets. This a twisty, suspenseful, fast paced read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy.

Every Alice Feeney book is a must read ASAP for me, always something different, you never know what to expect.

Beautiful Ugly follows the once bestselling, now struggling author Grady Green. His wife disappeared and he’s trying to cope. Facing writer’s block and financial ruin he travels to a cabin on a remote Scottish island in the hope it will help get his life and his writing back on track.

There’s a welcome familiarity to the remote location, Alice Feeney creates these so well (Rock Paper Scissors, Daisy Darker) and seeing a character’s gradually descent towards madness is always fun.

Not the fastest book, but it’s very entertaining and readable, meeting the island’s cast of eccentric and insular characters and learning about the history and traditions. You know it’s setting up something big…

There’s an avalanche of revelations, twist after twist after twist.

One of those books that get better the more you reflect on it, worth a second read to try and spot all the signs you missed first time. Superbly constructed and sure to delight Alice Feeney’s fans.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan

On the day that author Grady Green should be celebrating becoming a NY Times Best Selling Author is world seems ripped apart after his wife Abby, an investigative journalist, disappears. Has she been adducted or murdered by one of the subjects of her articles? It looks as though the second book in his 2 book deal will never appear as Grady blames his writers block on the trauma of her disappearance. Then his agent comes up with the idea of giving Grady the use of a cabin she inherited from a now dead author. Maybe this will provide the tranquillity Grady needs to wrote again. But even before arriving on the island things don't feel quite right after he thinks he sees his missing wife on the ferry. The sightings continue on the island along with other strange happenings and Grady begins to think he is losing his mind. For the reader, the situation becomes increasingly creepy. There is a huge amount of suspense built up as the story progresses and the final twist is one you don't see coming. This is my first Alice Feeney book and I am delighted to have discovered such a masterful story-teller.

This book is absolutely fantastic. It will grip you and not let you go. You'll be hooked and not want to put this down till you find out what happened. There are so many twists, most of them where shocking and I didn't see them coming at all. My heart was racing at times, it's terrifying.

As you read this book, the questions stack up, one after another. Everything you are told becomes questionable quite quickly. It leaves you reading on and on, in an effort to get the resolution you now need.

Grady is an author. He's not written since his wife disappeared a year ago so his agent sends him to a remote Scottish island for 3 months. She hopes that getting peace and quiet will give him the clarity he needs to start again.

The cabin is cosy, with the most breathtaking view. The island has no phone or internet capability. You are completely secluded,except for the 25 permanent residents.

Is this what Grady needs, or are all his nightmares coming home to roost?

This isn't out until January, but is well worth pre-ordering. You'll have something to look forward to, during one of the darker months of the year!

This was atmospheric, seething with tension and vividly set on a remote Scottish Island.

One was never quite sure if Grady was losing his mind or if something evil was haunting his presence. Steeped in folklore and superstition the characters were exquisitely drawn and the brooding pace of the narrative pitch perfect.

With its strong feminist theme I found this book captivating and was blown away by its surprising twist at the end.

This was the best thriller I have read this year.

It was absolutely amazing, I did not see the twist coming and I could not speak to anyone until i had finished it (I was that gripped).

Alice Feeney always ties in quite hard topics, but I loved how this book ended- no spoilers but I was absolutely overjoyed!

I’m always slightly nervous to start an Alice Feeney novel as I worry that it won’t meet the expectations generated by previous offerings but once again, I’m proved wrong and devoured this book.

Beautiful Ugly follows the story of Abby, an investigative journalist and her husband Grady, an author. Grady has just received the best news after years of hard work: he’s a New York Times best seller. Eager to share his news, Grady calls Abby who is thrilled and nearly home. Suddenly braking, she discovers woman lying on the road. Against Grady’s instructions not to get out of the car, Abby goes to check on the woman and disappears…

A year later and no one knows what happened to Abby. Grady’s life has unravelled and he’s offered a last chance lifeline to move to an isolated cabin on the Isle of Amberly to try and write again.

Arriving on Amberly, Grady is introduced to some of the 25 inhabitants who all appear to have secrets they don’t want revealed. Isolated, alone and increasingly unstable, Grady finds a lifeline to writing his next book.

Told through the points of view of Grady, and Abby prior to her disappearance, this book is impossible to put down. Feeney’s distinctive flair for writing the most compelling human stories with unravelling twists and turns meant that I finished in one sitting.

This will undoubtedly become my most gifted book of the year. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Alice Feeney does it again! I devoured this book!

Unreliable narrator (tick) creepy (tick) unnerving (tick) plot twist (tick) un-puttable down-able (tick)

Grady is an author on the brink, and his wife Abby is missing, presumed dead. He has lost everything, and he can no longer find it in him to write. With nowhere to live and money fast running out, his agent offers him an opportunity to stay at a writers cabin on a remote Scottish Island that was gifted to her in a will. A last chance at sorting his shattered life out is too good to pass, but things are never quite as they seem.

I loved the Island setting that Alice painted so vividly, and how the tension and claustrophobia quickly sets in from what first appears to be an idyllic escape.

As we follow Grady around the island and meet the curious inhabitants, the sense of unease raquets up. Hints are dropped that there's more to this Island than we imagined. I had goosebumps and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out the truth of what was really happening - and why? As the dots are connected, true to form the revelations left me reeling!

Absolutely recommended - the perfect thriller to curl up with on a dark winters evening - if you dare!

I don’t know where to start with this because omg, this was a corker of a twist. I’ll be honest I didn’t think there would be a twist that could get me as much as the Daisy Darker one, but this did! I had cottoned on to a couple of things that the main character Grady Green had missed but I still was not expecting the reveal to be what it was!

Author Grady Green got the big news he was waiting for just before his wife Abby vanishes into mid air after stopping to help a woman in the middle of the road. His life falls apart and he can no longer write. His agent sends him to a strange remote Scottish Island to see if he can start to write again. Grady soon notices things in the island are not what they seem. He is still struggling with his wife’s disappointment, will the island be able to help him find some closure?

I just couldn’t put this book down. It is so fact paced and has been excellently executed and it may even top my book of the year list! Alice Feeney is the queen of twists and this did not disappoint.

I love Alice Feeney. If she wrote a cereal packet I would read it.

I loved this. Totally hooked from the beginning to the end
What a gripping read.

Thanks for the opportunity to review

I am grateful to Pan Macmillan Publisher for giving me early access to this book.

This is the best book of the year. Alice Feeney is my favourite author. This is a mind-blowing book with killer twists. The book is twisted, suspenseful, dark, atmospheric and jaw dropping. The book will make you question everything and the twists will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is dark and truth is twisted. After reading the book, you will realise why the title fits so well. If you like Scottish island setting, atmospheric vibes, and a good revenge plot, read it.

I read this in two sittings! I have read one of the authors previous books and was pleased to be given a copy via netgalley! It’s a very easy read that I seemed to be half way through before I knew it!
After reading the synopsis, most of the anticipated plot happened in the first couple of chapters and I genuinely couldn’t guess where the book was going!
If you are looking for a book to get you out of a slump or some dark winter nights, this is it!

What a gripping, creepy thriller. I raced through this desperate to find out what on earth was going on. Just when I thought I had worked something out another twist comes along and blows that out of the water, this was definitely an ending I didn’t see coming.

The queen of the twisty twist is back 💃🏾 and her crown is firmly in place.

Life is both beautiful and ugly.
The day Grady Green becomes a New York Times best selling author is both the best day and the worst day of his life. Why so? His doggedly brave investigative journalist wife Abby is driving home when he calls her to share his excitement. Mid call, she suddenly breaks, gets out of the car and disappears. A panic stricken Grady dashes to find her, discovers the car with its headlights on, the drivers door wide open but there’s no sign of Abby. One year on, in a state of stasis, he’s unable to function in any way shape or form, stuck in an awful land of limbo. When he’s offered the use of a cabin on the tiny Scottish island of Amberley, he jumps at the chance, travelling north hoping to find the peace and tranquility he needs to get his life back on track. Perhaps it will even enable him to pen a new novel. There, the impossible happens - can the impossible become the impossible?

There are so many layers to this latest psychological thriller from one of my favourite authors but first let me mention the beautiful and magical descriptions of Scotland. The love of the place really stands out with a rich and ever-changing atmosphere permeating all. You get all weathers in one day which could equally apply to the ever-changing mood of those that live on the island and of Grady himself. As he approaches the island there’s a strong sense of calm before a storm although his excitement and anticipation are infectious. Perhaps though, the noisy seagulls as he awaits the ferry to whisk him Amberley sound a warning that he should heed. Prophetically so as it soon becomes very ominous.

The peace of the island, its isolation and silence are used so masterfully to drop little bombshells into the illusionary calm which of course being Alice Feeney are often worthy of an OMG jaw drop. It’s very cleverly done as you become as unsure as Grady about what’s real and what not. Is someone playing mind games or is it Grady’s mind that is broken? The island becomes stranger and stranger, with the residents behaving oddly and the whole feel is off kilter. At times it has a sense of Stepford Wives which is very unnerving. There’s tension which underpins the whole storyline and there are occasions where it’s so intense I realise that I’m holding my breath. As well as having a spooky, chilling and sinister tone, it’s also a very good character study. All are well portrayed but especially Grady and Abby. Through them a number of pertinent issues are raised and questioned which I really enjoy. It has several twists of course and an excellent ending – just desserts?

Overall, this is a thought provoking and suspenseful psychological thriller. It’s perhaps a bit more understated than some of her other novels but it packs a punch nonetheless . Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to. Pan Macmillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.