If there’s one thing you can always be sure of with Alice Feeney, it’s that you can never be sure of anything. And here, in Beautiful Ugly, she deploys all the tricks of her trade to keep you on the back foot until the very end.

With its atmospheric setting on a tiny, remote Scottish island, a pair of dubious, contradictory narrators, and a tight-knit community of seriously oddball characters, everything about this story is designed to make you uneasy.

Already the premise had my antennae twitching.

Struggling author Grady Green is still coming to terms with his wife Abby’s inexplicable disappearance 12 months previously, when his agent packs him off to the Isle of Amberley, with the hope that he will rediscover his writing mojo. What awaits him there, though, sends his brain into meltdown: fleeting glimpses of a woman he’s convinced is his missing wife.

Let me start by saying that this was seriously spooky, a slow burn that dripped foreboding like water from a leaky tap. If it wasn’t rolling mists, ‘singing’ sands, and mysterious messages, it was the increasingly unfriendly vibes radiating from the locals. And all this on an island with no communication with the outside world and no regular ferry service to the mainland. The term ‘locked room’ couldn’t be more appropriate.

Even at three-quarters’ through, I had no idea where the narrative was going, only that Feeney was misdirecting and obfuscating to the point that I no longer knew which way was up, and that Grady’s spiraling paranoia was close to boiling point.

The scene was set for one of Feeney’s trademark, out-of-nowhere twists, and she duly obliged, delivering a whole slew of them in a rapid volley of reveals.

The ending will no doubt split opinion. It pushes the bounds of credibility, which is usually a big no-no for me. Here, though, it worked. Yes, it’s extreme, and I won’t deny it made my blood run cold, but given the context and the themes of sisterhood and revenge, I was more than happy to go with it.

It’s another cracker in the bag for Feeney.

*Beautiful Ugly* by Alice Feeney is a psychological thriller that blends suspense, emotion, and sharp character exploration in a way that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Known for her ability to craft dark and twisty narratives, Feeney delivers a chilling and thought-provoking story that explores the complexities of beauty, identity, and deception.

### Plot Overview

*Beautiful Ugly* follows the life of its protagonist, **Clementine**, a woman whose seemingly perfect life begins to unravel in the most unexpected ways. Clementine is a successful, well-known social media influencer who thrives on portraying an image of perfection. However, beneath the surface, she is dealing with significant personal demons, including feelings of self-worth, jealousy, and a tragic secret from her past. The novel’s tension arises as Clementine's world begins to crack when a stranger threatens to expose her darkest secrets.

As the story progresses, Clementine's carefully curated life is stripped away, revealing the deeply troubled and complex person beneath. The novel plays with the concept of "beauty" — both the literal kind, seen through the lens of social media, and the uglier, darker aspects of human nature that lurk beneath the surface.

### Strengths

1. **Psychological Depth**: Feeney’s talent for creating multifaceted characters is evident in *Beautiful Ugly*. Clementine is a fascinating protagonist who is simultaneously sympathetic and unsettling. Her inner conflicts — about beauty, self-image, and the pressure to maintain an illusion of perfection — are rendered with emotional depth. Feeney successfully dives into the complexities of modern identity, especially within the realm of social media, where everything is filtered and curated.

2. **Unpredictability and Twists**: Feeney is known for her mind-bending twists, and *Beautiful Ugly* does not disappoint. The story continually pulls the rug out from under the reader, with unexpected turns that keep the suspense high. Feeney expertly plays with unreliable narration and misdirection, so that just when you think you’ve figured things out, another revelation flips everything on its head.

3. **Themes of Beauty and Self-Image**: At its core, *Beautiful Ugly* explores society's obsession with beauty and how it affects people's sense of self-worth. Clementine’s journey is one of self-acceptance, and the book raises important questions about how much we rely on external validation — particularly in the age of social media. The novel doesn’t shy away from the darker side of this obsession, exposing the psychological toll it takes on individuals.

4. **Atmosphere and Writing Style**: Feeney’s writing is sharp and immersive, with a knack for building tension. The atmosphere is dark and claustrophobic, perfectly reflecting Clementine’s internal turmoil. There’s a persistent sense of unease that keeps readers hooked, and the pacing never lags, ensuring that the narrative moves forward with a sense of urgency.

### Weaknesses

1. **Pacing Issues in the Middle**: While the beginning and end of the book are incredibly strong, some readers might feel that the middle drags a bit. The story occasionally loops around Clementine’s psychological state, which may feel repetitive at times, and some may wish for more external action to balance out the introspection.

2. **Unlikable Characters**: While the characters are well-developed, Clementine herself can be hard to root for at times. Her flaws, while central to the story, make it difficult to empathize with her. This might alienate some readers who prefer characters they can connect with more easily. However, this could also be seen as a strength, as it forces readers to reflect on their own perceptions of beauty and identity.

3. **Predictable Ending for Some**: While the final twist is likely to shock most readers, some may find it a bit predictable if they’ve read other books in the genre. The story does rely on familiar thriller tropes, which might feel a bit too on-the-nose for seasoned thriller fans.

### Conclusion

*Beautiful Ugly* is an absorbing psychological thriller that pulls readers deep into the psyche of its flawed, complicated protagonist. Alice Feeney’s exploration of the modern obsession with beauty, identity, and the darker aspects of fame is both timely and insightful. The book is filled with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing, and its deep character study of Clementine offers a fresh and critical lens on how we present ourselves to the world. While the pacing may falter in places and the characters may be difficult to relate to, the novel’s final reveal is worth the ride, offering an unsettling and ultimately thought-provoking conclusion. Fans of psychological thrillers and readers who appreciate character-driven narratives will find much to admire in *Beautiful Ugly*.

Another engrossing read that will capture the readers right from the first page. An enticing story with a shocking twist

Wow. This is DARK. I am a big Feeney fan but this has blown all of their previous work out of the water. It’s layered, captivating, and a lot claustrophobic. I loved it so much

Beautiful Ugly tells the story of a fictional isle off the coast of Scotland as the author Grady Green takes some time to write a novel after a year off struggling to write. Grady's journalist wife Abby was on her way back home to him as he became a New York bestseller when she stopped to help a woman lying down in the road apparently injured. Grady doesn't hear from her after that and it appears that she has left for good.
A year later, Grady is failing to write and sleep, so in a last attempt to help him, his agent Kitty, lends him her cabin on the Isle of Amberley, a cabin the old writer Charles Whittaker apparently used before he died.

A little like Rock Paper Scissors, in that we never know who is who, this mystery is told through the eyes of Grady as he uncovers strange goings on. The local people seem very sure of who he is but he can never seem to leave the island or contact the outside world. And everywhrre he goes he sees Abby, but that's just a trick of the mind right?! Or is it the dodgy tea they keep giving him?

I really enjoyed this thriller. It felt a little too similar to Rock Paper Scissors for my liking so I wonder if her other novels have a similar mark. But those Scottish isles are perfect for thrillers and I was suitably impressed with this one!

I am speechless. This book was suspenseful and the twists had my jaw on the floor. I binged it in less than 24 hours. Definitely a triller to pick up!

As a fan of Alice's previous work, I was ecstatic to be able to read Beautiful Ugly early and it did not disappoint. The book kept me guessing throughout and I didn't see the plot twists coming. I was even very creeped out at points! It had me hooked.

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!!!