Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney, narrated by Macmillan Audio, is a haunting and atmospheric thriller that asks a simple yet profound question: If all we need is love, why do we always want more? While this overarching theme lingers throughout the story, Feeney’s trademark twists and darker exploration of marriage and revenge make this book much more than just a straightforward mystery.

The plot’s pacing may divide readers—I noticed some reviewers felt it was too slow, but I disagree. The mysterious nature of the story and its unfolding secrets held my attention. Feeney’s writing thrives on suspense and subtle revelations rather than relentless action, so the slower burn works here. The story centers on Grady Green, whose wife, Abby, disappears under cryptic circumstances. A year later, grief-stricken and unraveling, he stumbles upon a woman who looks just like her on a secluded Scottish island. What follows is a tangled exploration of relationships, trust, and identity. None of the characters are particularly likable, but for me, that only added to the realism. Feeney crafts flawed, often unrelatable characters because that is how life is—messy, imperfect, and sometimes frustrating.

Where this audiobook truly shines, though, is in its production. The narration is impeccable, with Macmillan Audio delivering full production value that feels immersive without being overdone. Sound effects like phone calls, water, and ambient noises enhance the listening experience, giving the book a cinematic quality. These touches elevate the thriller’s eerie tone and kept me glued to the story. While the cast itself is minimal, the narrator’s delivery perfectly distinguishes the characters and suits the novel’s atmosphere. Pacing-wise, the narration strikes the right balance between tension and clarity, ensuring the slower parts still feel engaging. It also helps smooth over any chapter transitions, making the flow of the audiobook easy to follow.

Overall, I rated the book 4 out of 5 stars, and I would absolutely recommend listening to it in audio format. While Beautiful Ugly is compelling on its own, the added production elements and strong narration make this version the ideal way to experience the story. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a dark edge and layered themes, this one is worth the listen—just prepare for twists that will leave you reeling.

I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I know what really happened in this book!! This is the first Alice Feeney book I have finished and I’m curious about others now. I was extremely invested in finding out what happened from the jump, but began to get frustrated as I realized that the narrator was unreliable. I would suggest checking trigger warnings since there are probably a few more than my normal reads. I believe this is categorized as a psychological thriller, but it’s definitely different than a regular one. I can’t wait to see what others think!

Alice Feeney does it again!!! Beautiful Ugly is a story you will not want to miss, whether you read or listen. I will say, the audio truly added to the story, the sound effects, the narration, the setting, the atmosphere are all perfection. The way Feeney wrote in the different POVs, also added to the overall mystery. Will you think Grady is the good guy or the bad guy? Don't make your decision too quickly, as you might be wrong. Another great listen from Feeney!

#NetGalley #BeautifulUgly

Beautiful Ugly is a story about a writer, his wife, and his inability to continue writing after she suddenly disappears. It is, on the surface, a story about love—the intense love that this couple had for each other. But, it is also a story about contradictions, and how we may both love and hate the same thing; or how we may find the same thing both beautiful and ugly. I loved the chapter titles and other subtle references to contradictory aspects of life. I loved the setting of a remote Scottish island and the extremely quirky habits of the small community living there. I loved the “Gone Girl”-ish plot twists and the suspense. I received the audiobook version of this novel through NetGalley and found the narration very compelling; Richard Armitage voicing the chapters of Grady, the writer/protagonist, was perfect (as were the sound effects!). I appreciate the opportunity to provide an honest review of this book, which I know will be devoured by Feeney’s fans as soon as it is published.

Another fantastic book by Alice Feeney! The ending was a total surprise. Loved the different sounds leading into the different characters and the dual POVs. Also the added spicy scenes were a nice surprise!

I was fortunate to receive an audiobook of Beautiful Ugly and was very excited to start listening. I consumed most of this book in one day while cleaning the house and doing things. It was enough to keep me engaged and listening although I didn't care for this story as much as her other books I've read. This started out really good, There was suspense and if you are a mood reader, this definitely felt like a winter book. The author did a great job describing the island and the secluded feelings there. I just didn't like the story line towards the end. Of course this is my personal opinion and others may feel differently. I do like the way the author describes things, fun the atmosphere and setting to the feelings the main character has after losing his wife. She's great at conveying that.

✨Book Review✨

Beautiful Ugly - Alice Feeney

📖 Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life. Grady calls his wife to share exciting news as she is driving home. He hears her slam on the breaks, get out of the car, and then nothing. When he finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, her phone is still there, but Abby has disappeared. A year later Grady is a mess, wanting to know what happened to Abby and unable to sleep or write. His editor sends him to a tiny island to try and get his life back on track. Then he see…. The impossible - a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

📚 Oooh, Alice Feeney has done it again! This was a great read/listen. I had an advanced listener copy (Shoutout and thanks to @NetGalley ) The audio was interesting without being distracting. In true Alice Feeney fashion there was thrill and mystery. I found myself curious about the “right” things but unable to pull it together myself. The ending was so good, including the hidden layered parts.

🌟 If you like mystery and a bit of thrill - then preorder this book ASAP! It’s set to be published on January 14th, and you’ll want to get your hands on this once it’s out. If you like Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, or Agatha Christie then you should give Alice Feeney a try!

#BookReview #BeautifulUgly #AliceFeeney #NetGalley #BookRecommendation
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First off, the cover is gorgeous. I would buy based off the cover alone. The colors, font, all are great. Great Job.

I love this author. The book's suspense was amazing. It was creepy, and I loved it. 5 stars. The narrator was 10/10. Production value 10/10. The last 10%? 1 star. Messy, laughable, and what did I just read???? Overall I give it a 4 cause the rest was so good! It kept me entertained even though I was so mad by the end.

✿𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬✿
𝓂𝓎𝓈𝓉ℯ𝓇𝓎/ 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓁𝓁ℯ𝓇
🗓️𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙹𝚊𝚗𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟷𝟺, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻
𝖧𝗒𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽📕🎧: 𝖣𝖾𝖿 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖿𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟛.𝟚𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤! ★★★✫

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...After Grady is overcome with grief over his wife disappearing he goes to a remote Scottish island to try and write another novel only to find this place is not what it seems….

🌻𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...The audio version of this book is awesome! 👏 It had sound effects & the most well done accents. As far as the book…hmm. 🤔I liked it, but didn’t love it. What I did enjoy was the setting. Hella atmospheric. 😯It was baffling to even consider living somewhere so remote with only 25 people. It’s a slow burn kind of book which works for me normally, but I think Feeney just isn’t an author I mesh well with! This is my 3rd one and all were just okay. 🤨It’s getting plenty of raving reviews from others that were lucky enough to snag an advanced copy too. Thanks to the publishers & authors for this ARC & my thoughts are {obvi} my own. 💟

What a ride this book was! Alice Feeney is the master of dark, twisty stories, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Grady Greene is moving to a remote Scottish island to forget his missing wife and restart his writing career. What happened there kept me on the edge of my seat and a bit unsettled for the whole story!
I don’t want to give any spoilers- but do yourself a favor and read this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Alice Feeney does it again! First off, the audiobook production of Beautiful Ugly was phenomenal. The narrator did a fantastic job, but the sound effects really added to the suspense and eeriness of the story. While this wasn't an especially fast-paced book, I was fully invested from the first to the last page. It was one of those books where I didn't want to put down my headphones. As with all of Alice Feeney's books, I absolutely enjoyed this one!

I really really enjoyed this book until the end of it. I would give it 4 stars for the first 3/4 (although it did get rather redundant) and then knock a point off for the end. A little far-fetched.

Eerily entertaining. I love books set in remote locations in brutal and unforgiving climates. While, I remained suspicious of some characters throughout the story, I was quite surprised by the end. I enjoyed the author connecting the plot to real world issues. I would be interested to read another book focusing primarily on the wife's journalism career. I would also like to explore more of this exclusive and mysterious community.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

I love Alice Feeney. Sometimes I Lie is still one of my favs. The title, Beautiful Ugly captured my attention immediately. This book was a slow burn. The story pulls you in, but it does take a while for things to be revealed. The audiobook narrators are amazing. That one very important sentence still gives me the creeps. The last chapter's title, Virtual Reality confused me a bit. I'm still pondering what it meant with respect to Grady and his situation. I'd definitely suggest doing the audiobook . The mood is set perfectly.

Wow! What a twisty thriller! I've read one other Alice Feeney book that I thought was just ok, but this was amazing. 'No man is an island, but a woman can be if she wants to', says Grady Green towards the end. Grady, once a successful writer, has been unable to write since his wife Abby disappeared one night, on her way home to celebrate his book reaching the NYT's best seller list. She was on the phone to Grady when she saw a woman in the road and stops, leaving her car door open. She was never to be seen again. Grady's agent, seeing how despondent he is, offers him the use of her secluded cabin on Amberly Island, once occupied by another famous writer, Charles Whittaker. Once Grady gets to the island, he starts seeing his wife everywhere. Is he hallucinating or is that really her? Thus begins his quest to uncover what is really going on at the island and why he's the only man there. The women act stranger and stranger and soon he finds a hidden manuscript that he struggles with rewriting and making his own. Things come to a head and major secrets are revealed and folks you must really suspend your disbelief here as it gets pretty crazy. It's the ultimate in revenge, hatred, and redemption for the women as Grady slowly realizes what is going on. Should he accept his fate, or try to escape? There's great character development here and for awhile you assume one thing is happening, but I assure you it's not. Ms. Feeney really keeps things interesting up until the very shocking ending. I listened to the audio version of this book while on a flight and the narration was excellent. Highly recommended!

Alice Feeney has been one of my favorite authors for awhile and I have read four or five of her books. Due to this, I was so excited to read her latest novel. I think this may be one of my favorites! From the beginning I was hooked. First, how could you go wrong with Richard Armitage narrating?? It was amazing and I highly recommend just for that detail alone. Back to the writing, I love the dual POVs. It allows the story to be told in a linear fashion and then when an insight from a different perspective is thrown in, you question everything. The mystery of the island and the people who inhabit it kept me guessing throughout the book. While I didn’t necessarily “like” Grady, I felt like his character was intriguing and his character traits allowed for the storyline to blur and twist. I highly recommend it as it will keep you guessing. I only had one or two complaints below, but feel that as with most thrillers, if you suspend disbelief for a time, it still is quite an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan audio for the opportunity to review this book early through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.


SPOILERS below:

My biggest complaints of the book are below. These are serious spoilers so please do not read ahead if you have not read the book.

I felt like Grady trying to kill Abby on the mountain road was confusing and didn’t fit with the character of Grady. He kept speaking about how much he loved her and then to do that felt like a step outside of the understanding we had of his character. Lastly, I felt that Abby having a child through IVF was a bit thrown in and while it “accounted” for the missing money, it felt like it was an idea that could seem plausible but actually was a weak excuse.

4.5 stars

This is another great book by Alice Feeney! I really love her writing style. It keeps me engaged the whole time and the mystery is always intriguing/surprising.

I loved the Scottish setting along with the interesting cast of characters. The story bounces back and forth between two POVs so it gives the reader a more in-depth perspective of the characters. I also really enjoyed the character development between the two of them.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

Grady Green lost his wife the very same hour he found out he made the bestsellers list. One year later he finds himself on a remote island trying to channel the success that led to his first book. Under pressure to deliver his agent some type of material, he starts to explore the island. Grady receives a shock when he thinks he sees a woman that looks exactly like his wife.

Beautiful Ugly felt unlike any of Alice Feeney’s other books. It focused on the misunderstandings between a couple that can fester over time. A lot of the time it felt like this book was a commentary on the main characters relationship rather than a thriller. I understood that a lot of this “lore” was needed but it ultimately still left me wondering how the twist was even possible.

The island and its residents were so intriguing. I found myself more interested in their story than the main characters by the end. While we did get quite a bit of information from them, I still wanted more!

The dual narrators and extra audio such as the sound of the phone ringing was such a great touch.

As many of Alice Feeney’s books are, this one was a quick and simple read. Perfect for a plane ride, beach side, or a book club!

A year after his wife’s disappearance, author Grady Green is struggling with grief. He can’t sleep, he can’t write anything new, and so he can’t afford his home anymore. Worried for his prospects, Grady’s agent offers him respite- a writing cabin on a secluded Scottish island- so he can try to get his life back on track. After arriving, however, he sees the impossible: a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Thoughts:

This was my kind of thriller! It had all the vibes. A creepy, remote island. A small writing cabin overlooking the sea. A paranoid, unreliable narrator. This story was so twisty and full of suspense. And the ending gave me chills!

I also loved Richard Armitage’s narration of this audiobook. He was perfect for Grady’s POV.

Favorite quote:

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

Grady Green is having his best worst day. He calls his wife to share some exciting news when she slams on the brakes and isn’t heard from again. A year later, Grady is still struggling. He decides to go to a remote island to concentrate on his writing. He swears he sees his missing wife on the island. But it can’t be!

I loved this book! Weird and odd things continue to happen around Grady. This book is filled with twists. Just when you don’t think there is another, you are wrong. Yes, you did just read/hear that. My jaw was on the floor.

Thank you to Alice Feeney, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.