Title: BEAUTIFUL UGLY
Author: Alice Feeney
ISBN: 9781035053803
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 320
Source: NetGalley
Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.
Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.
A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.
Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.
Official Summary
11 December 2024
Beautiful Ugly is a haunting tale that seamlessly weaves grief, mystery and the complexities of relationships into a tightly knit psychological thriller. The premise is instantly gripping: a missing wife, a husband drowning in despair, and a tiny Scottish island shrouded in secrets. Feeney once again demonstrates her ability to craft stories that balance emotional depth with jaw-dropping suspense.
The book opens with an unsettling scene. Grady Green, an author, is on the brink of personal triumph when his wife, Abby, vanishes under mysterious circumstances. The imagery of her abandoned car by the cliff edge, headlights on and door open, sets a chilling tone that lingers throughout the narrative. A year later, Grady’s grief and guilt propel him to the desolate beauty of a Scottish island, where he encounters a woman who looks just like Abby. Is she a ghost, a figment of his imagination, or someone hiding the truth?
The story excels at exploring the frailty of human emotions. Grady is a compelling protagonist: a man unravelling, caught between longing for closure and an obsession with the past. His inner turmoil is intense, and the remote setting amplifies his isolation, creating an atmosphere both claustrophobic and eerie. The island itself plays a huge part in the story, its rugged landscape and weather mirroring Grady’s chaotic state of mind. (Can someone please tell me where this island is, I would love to visit!)
What makes Beautiful Ugly a great read is the author’s sharp insights into marriage dynamics. The line, “Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t. Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do,” echoes throughout the story, challenging readers to consider how well we truly know our partners. This theme is intricately tied to the unfolding mystery, with Abby’s disappearance forcing Grady—and the reader—to question everything about their relationship.
The plot twists are classic Feeney: unexpected, clever, and deeply satisfying. While the pacing is deliberate, the layers of the story peel back expertly, revealing secrets that make you question every character’s motives. The writing blends moments of quiet introspection with sharp, suspenseful beats. If there’s one critique, it’s that the resolution may stretch believability for some readers. However, the emotional payoff and the depth of the characters more than compensate for any minor quibbles.
Beautiful Ugly is a dark, atmospheric thriller that explores the fragility of love and the destructive power of secrets. Alice Feeney delivers a story that is both heart-wrenching and edge-of-your-seat gripping. Fans of her previous works and lovers of psychological suspense won’t be disappointed. Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster and a tale that will linger long after you turn the final page.
Also by Alice Feeney
DAISY DARKER
After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally, back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.
The family arrives, each of them harbouring secrets. Then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…
Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.
With a wicked wink to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Daisy Darker’s unforgettable twists will leave readers reeling.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over thirty-five languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including His & Hers which is being made into major TV series by Netflix.
Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years and now lives in Devon with her family.
Beautiful Ugly is her seventh novel.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this brilliant review copy. I cannot wait to add a copy of this book to my bookshelf. Yes, I often buy hard copies of books I have already read digitally to add them to my bookshelf. If I enjoy a book, I want a copy of it looking down at me from the shelf. Not to mention that I am too impatient to wait for the books to be available in local bookstores.
This is my last book review post for 2024, I have had a wonderful reading year, which I will tell you more about on the 13th. For now, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation for your support this year and promise that I will be sharing reviews again in early January. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
