This is a well-written and ingenious suspense novel with a touch of the folk-gothic about it. Set mainly on the fictional island of Amberly off the coast of Scotland, there is a strong sense of place. The island setting also provides a paradox: the claustrophobic atmosphere of a place which is at once natural and open but also contained and secretive.

There are a number of sections that are specifically written so as to mislead the reader but I can’t talk about them too much without adding spoilers. However, suffice it to say that every fictional narrator isn’t entirely reliable and our views of reality often differ depending on our viewpoint!

I suspect that the final quarter of the book will divide reader opinions and I didn’t enjoy it as much as the rest of the book. Overall, it’s still a pretty good read but I think that the ending good have been better handled and achieved that 5th star.

With thanks to NetGalley, Alice Feeney and Pan Macmillan for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, thank you for this arc!
To be honest, Alice Feeney's books are a hit or miss for me. I loved His & Hers, but Rock paper scissors wasn't it for me. This book was a bit of both. I found the first 60% of the book a bit tedious and there wasn't a lot happening. After that, the pace definitely picked up which I really liked! There were a few major plottwists, of which I guessed one, which in my opinion was very obvious, but I was definitely shocked by the other ones!
Overall it was a good book, but I didn't love it as much as I had hoped, so I rate it 3.5/5

Another masterpiece from Alice Feeney, full of twists. Grady Green finally gets a call from his publisher with the news he has been waiting for. He calls his wife, Abby who is driving home, to share the news when he hears her veer off the road. The car is found by the cliff edge, but no sign of Abby, she has complete disappeared.
Grady goes to a Scottish island to recover from the trauma of losing his wife, but a lot of the locals are acting strangely, they never disclose how he can get off the island and hindered by no Wi-Fi signal. To add to Grady’s confusion, he keeps seeing a figure remarkably like Abby...
There is something quite sinister about the island, lots of layers and unanswered questions which makes Grady begin to doubt reality. An eery read for any Feeney fan and definitely worth a read.

I have read a number of Alice Feeney books now- they never disappoint. The twists and turns are always a surprise and so hard to predict. This book didn’t disappoint. The big shocker of a twist was as good as they get- no spoilers here- just read the book- it’s worth the wait.
The plot was good, husband looses wife - tries to rebuild life, etc etc. But the plot twist was amazing.
Well worth a read.

This is a delightfully intriguing story which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. There are a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Very well constructed and skillfully plotted.
Bestselling author Grady Green is struggling after his wife disappeared. He takes the opportunity to go to a remote cabin to work on his next book. Grady goes off with his dog to write the book but the next chapter of his life could not be more surprising. I highly recommend this fantastic book.

This is actually my first ever Alice Feeney book (wild, I know!) and I can definitely see why people refer to her as the queen of twists.

The story in Beautiful Ugly is incredibly creepy, unnerving and gripping. I was very eager to find out the twist, and I had practically no theories at all. Twisty thrillers can be quite predictable at times, but not this. I have to hand it to Feeney, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come.

The big twist itself was shocking, but I must admit I also found myself a little confused. Everything started to unravel like a domino effect and it did all feel quite unbelievable. For the final segment of the novel I didn’t really get what was going on, I was struggling to make sense of some things and wasn’t completely satisfied with the outcome, but maybe that’s because I was just beffudled 😂

Nonetheless, there’s no denying that it’s a great psychological thriller that’ll have you on the edge of your seat and truly keep you guessing throughout! I would’ve given it 5 stars if the ending had hit better, but I urge you to give it a read and see how you find it, as I still very much enjoyed the story as a whole.

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. Grady Greene, a best selling author is haunted by memories of his wife who disappeared. He is persuaded by his agent to move to a Scottish Island to write a new book,, which is long overdue. Here strange things occur and the inhabitants of the island all add to the mystery. I'm afraid I found this story moved too slowly for me. Some of the characters felt too far fetched. The twists at the end were not what I expected. I didn't enjoy the read.

I just finished reading Beautiful Ugly and… what a book! I’ve always loved Alice Feeney’s novels, especially the way I never figure out who the real villain is until the very end. This novel is written like a story within a story. Alice Feeney wrote a book about an author trapped on an island, writing a book about an author trapped on an island. By the end, you’re not even sure if you’ve transitioned from one book to the other, or if everything you’ve read is simply the work of the fictional author and not the real-world author.

Add to this the secret message that the fictional author claims to have embedded in their book— a message that is also found in the very novel you, the reader, are holding in your hands.

That said, I must admit I passionately hated the main character, the author whose life was shattered when his wife went missing. While I initially felt sorry for him, as the story progressed, I grew to despise him and started wondering if the word "empathy" had ever been part of his vocabulary.

I eagerly awaited Abby’s chapters, desperate to uncover the truth—whether the author’s hallucinations were orchestrated by someone or if he was genuinely losing his mind. Throughout the book, I believed I was witnessing his moral degradation, only for the ending, with its final revelations, to shift everything into a new light.

Suddenly, many moments in the book take on new meaning, and it feels like I missed several hints along the way. The repeated "rewrite the story" moments when something didn’t go the author’s way should have been clues all along.

I absolutely loved the book! The only downside was that at one point, during the chapters where it seemed he was completely losing his mind, the story lost me a little. I kept wishing someone would just push him off a cliff so it could all end. But, again, the ending gave everything a whole new perspective.

When the book hits stores, I’m definitely going to buy a copy so I can reread it and see if I catch all the clues now that I know the truth.

Thank you to the author, publishers Macmillan and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

A year after author Grady Green’s wife disappeared he travels to a remote Scottish island. It seems like just the thing to help him get a fresh start and jumpstart the writing which has stalled since that night. But, everywhere he looks he still thinks he sees Abby.

I’m in two minds about this book. I almost gave up on it very early on because I really didn’t like the way the main character was being written. Then there was a glimpse of a different perspective and a sense that the attributes which were annoying me were intentional and intended to signify that not all is how it appears.

For the rest of the book I spent more time trying to unravel the secrets than getting caught in the plot. Questioning every bit of storytelling. Which in one way is a sign of a good thriller, but in another meant I was focussed more on the mechanics of how the story is told rather than enjoying the book.

I can honestly say I didn’t expect the ending. But, I’m unsure whether it really worked either. Which is a shame because this is almost a book I would have been telling everyone to read. Instead what I can best say is that if you like thrillers then give it a try. If you can focus on the story for what it is and not try to guess ahead this might be the best thing you’ve ever read. But, also don’t be too disappointed if it isn’t.

Beautiful Ugly is an intriguing, thrilling tale about Grady, an author, who’s wife goes missing.
Lots of twists and turns, I kept guessing and needless to say I would be a terrible detective.
This is a fun and entertaining read for those who’ve just gotten into thrillers, maybe not for those who’ve moved on from Freida McFaddens books though.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan for the opportunity to read this ARC.

For me this book was totally unputdownable! Alice Fenney never disappoints and this one was way up there. A taut suspenseful thriller with twists and turns which kept me hooked all the way through.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

A thriller set amidst the publishing / writing industry? Perfect! A slower pace than some of Alice Feeney’s usual heart-pounding thrillers, but a gradual descent into a twisted and dark story was quite compelling actually. A remote isolated Island, a cast of eccentric and insular characters, and signs all along the way of what the unravelling might be…

Remote location thrillers are fast becoming Alice Feeney’s speciality and this is no exception, although for various reasons I preferred Rock Paper Scissors, and Daisy Darker, this was still a firm four star read for me.

alice feeney can do no wrong. she is the queen of thriller and plot twists. as always i was hooked from chapter one and unable to put this down!! also that ending omggggg!!!

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one and I really wanted to. It sounded so good from the blurb.

The first half was slow and repetitive, mostly about trees and birds and our MC Grady was annoying that I didn’t much care what happened to him and wasn’t very fussed for Abby either.

There were bits where the book felt very atmospheric and I’d get into it again but overall this one wasn’t for me.

I’m sure the book will do well as has many positive reviews.

3.75 stars, rounded up because of Feeney's absolute chutzpah in those final twists.

Grady Green is a New York Times bestselling author. On the night he hears of his book's success, his wife, Abby, goes missing. Grady is on the phone with her when her car comes to an abrupt stop. He calls her name but Abby never replies. A year after her disappearance, Grady, still deep in his grief and unable to write, is on the verge of becoming bankrupt. His agent arranges for him to stay on a remote Scottish island. Somewhere he can he write undisturbed. Somewhere he keeps seeing Abby out of the corner of his eye.

For the most part, I did not enjoy this. Grady is a remarkably uncurious thriller protagonist. Strange things were afoot all around him and he was completely content to shrug it all off as island quirkiness. He had no drive to investigate. Any clues discovered where items dropped figuratively on his lap (literally on his desk). It made all the 'ominous' goings on feel a little silly. None of it was rattling Grady to the point of doing anything, and seemed quite pointless. I probably would have DNF'd this at the halfway point if I hadn't agreed to write a review in exchange for received an ARC through netgalley.

That said, the ending had me completely hoodwinked. It was so audacious, I laughed. Good for you, Alice Feeney. You got me with that one. I just wish the twist was attached to characters I found more interesting.

This was my last book of 2024 and it was great to finish my reading year off with a bang! What a brilliant read. Alice Feeney never fails to deliver the goods!

Beautiful Ugly is a twisty, well structured and multilayered suspense thriller, with the story's setting both atmospheric and eerie. It is a slow burn, yet gripping and unpredictable, to keep the reader intrigued and turning those pages at top speed. The characters, some utterly creepy, are very believable. This a spooky read and so cleverly written. I had no idea where it was going and I loved every minute of it!

My favourite Alice Feeney to date - highly recommend!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an eARC of this book to read and review. Expected publication date: 30/1/25

This is my 3rd book by Alice Feeney, it’s not my favourite so far. I so enjoyed Daisy Darker but this didn’t grip me at all. The synopsis was right up my street but I found it so hard to get into or like any of the characters, maybe just the way I’m feeling. There wer some scary bits and the twist at the end was good, il still be trying some of Alice’s other books which iv been recommended. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this early copy.

𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐔𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐲
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝟑𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟒 ⭐️

I was a bit hesitant at first to start this book as I’ve seen mixed reviews and I didn’t really enjoy Good Bad Girl.

It was a slow burn yet medium paced but I did enjoy it, especially when all the twists start coming in. I went into this book relatively blind as all I knew it was an author who goes to a remote island where everything is very mysterious and a little creepy. There is no phone signal, no birds and the Ferry to the mainland only twice a week… isolated feeling much?!!

The whole experience had this underlining tense feeling of I didn’t know what was real and what was happening!

I especially liked the secret code embedded in this book - it added a layer of fun to this story!

That’s all I’ll say, I think my faith has been restored in Feeneys books - I’ve read her whole catalogue now - this is my ranking in order

-His & Hers
-Daisy Darker
-Rock Paper Scissors
-Beautiful Ugly
-I Know Who You Are
-Sometimes I Lie
-Good Bad Girl
What’s your fav Feeney book?

Thanks to @netgalley for this arc! What a beautiful cover it has.

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booktok #bookish #books #thriller #netgalley #beautifulugly #alicefeeney #booktok #twists #queenoftwists #booksbooks #ilovebooks

This is another great book from Alice Feeney, there was a creepiness to this book that we come to expect from Alice's writing. This was no exception.
A writers wife goes missing and he wonders whether he will ever be able to write again, his agent sends him to a remote island to try and encourage him to concentrate on his writing, there are many strange characters on the island and he soon discovers he is unable to leave or contact anyone on the mainland as there is no internet or access to telephones.
A twisty tale - and a great read

Thank you to Alice Feeney, Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

𝑾𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒉𝒖𝒔𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕.
𝑯𝒖𝒔𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐.

Firstly, I was super excited to get my hands on the ARC of Beautiful Ugly and secondly, the cover is really stunning.

I have mixed feelings about this one. Set on a remote island with a ferry visiting once in a while, no internet or phone service, shady community members and seeing visions of your missing wife, I think the premise is great, giving off an eerie vibe but could have been executed in so many different ways.

The build up to the twist was excruciatingly slow and I found the MC Grady's chapters extremely boring and repetitive. The first half was vague and ambiguous which really worked for me at times but sometimes it just got weird and confusing.

Alice Feeney is known as the Queen of twists and though the twist was unexpected, it did not blow me away. This wasn't my favourite Feeney book but Alice Feeney is my guilty pleasure so I am already looking forward to the next book she writes.

Thank you @panmacmillan and @netgalley for the ARC to read and review.