Format: Hardcover, ALC
Length: 320 pages/9 hours & 20 minutes

Beautiful Ugly

The million-copy bestselling Queen of Twists Alice Feeney returns with a gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage. . .
. . . and revenge.

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.

Published by Flatiron Books
Published on January 14, 2025

My thoughts:

I received an ALC of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

This is the first book by this author that I’ve read, and what an introduction – this definitely won’t be my last. In my opinion, this was a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling. The novel is as unsettling as it is captivating, filled with moments of creeping dread, unexpected twists, and a finale that left me utterly speechless. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page. (Seriously – I’m still thinking about it.)

The story opens with author Grady Green on what should be one of the best days of his life. He’s received exciting news regarding his latest book and is eager to share it with his wife, Abby. But their phone call takes a harrowing turn when Grady hears the sound of screeching brakes and Abby stepping out of her car. Then, silence. When Grady rushes to the scene, he finds her car perched at the edge of a cliff. The headlights are still on, her phone is still there—but Abby is gone, and the red jacket she was wearing is at the bottom of the cliff.

A year later, Grady is a shell of his former self. Unable to write another book since Abby’s disappearance, Grady is desperate for answers and consumed by grief. He struggles financially, has lost his home, and lives with his dog in a motel. Thanks to his literary agent, who is just as desperate for him to write another book, Grady retreats to a remote Scottish island in the hopes of writing his next bestseller while piecing his life back together.

It’s on this island that Grady’s already fragile reality begins to unravel. He keeps seeing a woman who looks exactly like Abby. Is it really her? Could she have survived? Or is Grady’s grief and desperation warping his perception of reality? These questions drive the story forward, pulling the reader into a psychological labyrinth where nothing is quite as it seems.

Feeney excels at crafting flawed, deeply human characters, and Grady is no exception. His grief is palpable, his desperation relatable, and his actions, though at times frustrating, feel authentic. The characters on the island – especially Sandy (the sheriff and ferry driver) are all expertly drawn, and each one plays a distinct role in bringing the story to life. Not one of them is wasted. The island, with its moody landscapes and ever-present sense of isolation, becomes a character in its own right. Feeney’s descriptions of the setting are richly atmospheric, perfectly complementing the novel’s tone. You can almost feel the chill of the wind and hear the crash of the waves as you read. I was just as intrigued by the island as I was by the rest of the cast.

One of the most impressive aspects of the novel is how Feeney keeps the reader guessing. From the outset, I had my suspicions about certain elements of the story, but Feeney deftly misdirects and subverts expectations. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the rug is pulled out from under you. The final chapter, in particular, is a jaw-dropper. My gobs were officially smacked! It ties together the narrative threads in a way that felt both surprising and inevitable. Of course, it had to end that way!

I went for a fully immersive read with this one. I had the hardcover thanks to an early release through Book of the Month, but I also had an ALC thanks to the publisher, so I both listened and read, and what a treat that was! The production value of the audio version is top-notch. The sound effects added to the creepy atmosphere while Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton (the voice actors) knocked it out of the park with their portrayals of the characters. Seriously amazing!

I’ve struggled with thrillers lately, but this one delivers on its promise of unexpected twists and turns. The story is creepy, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant and had me hooked until the very shocking end. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that delve into the darker corners of the human mind, this is a must-read. I can’t wait to dive into more of Alice Feeney’s work.

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