Not having read any of the popular books by Alice Feeney, I was not sure why Beautiful Ugly was the first for me to tackle, but I am sure glad I did. What I got was a psychological thriller filled with twists, turns and shocking reveals that had me rapidly flipping from page to page.
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.
From the outset I was hooked on Beautiful Ugly. The gripping tale filled with mystery and grief continued to pull me in with unexpected twists in which kept me glued to each page. This mesmerizing thriller expertly blends psychological depth with an unyielding tension that is masterfully told by Alice Feeney.
Feeney excels at weaving these intricate plot twists throughout Beautiful Ugly, each more surprising than the last until a beautiful and outstanding conclusion. As I navigated the tale alongside Grady, I was drawn deeper into a maze where nothing is as it seems. Every chapter teases new revelations while maintaining an ever-present sense of unease—which I have come to learn is a hallmark for Feeney’s storytelling and makes me want more from the author!
The book moves at a brisk pace at the beginning and while there is a lull during the middle parts of the novel, the ending is well worth the wait—an unforeseeable conclusion that cleverly ties together seemingly disparate threads laid out earlier in the story. While some may find the ending a bit convoluted, I found it detailed and well thought out. Feeney crafted an ending worthy of applause; one which not only satisfies but also lingered long after putting the book down.
I was lucky enough to listen to the legendary Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton narrate the Beautiful Ugly audiobook, only enhancing my reading experience. Armitage’s nuanced performance coupled with additional sound effects elevated this already gripping tale into something extraordinary.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney was an unexpected top-tier novel for me. The suspenseful, jaw-dropping thriller was an immersive reading experience that I truly needed in my life. This novel engrossed me in every word making it a book I highly recommend you start your 2025 out with.
Beautiful Ugly hits bookstores everywhere on January 14, 2025 from Flatiron Books with an audiobook, narrated by Richard Armitage & Tuppence Middleton, available for pre-order at Libro.fm!
