Beautiful Ugly

by Alice Feeney
Beautiful Ugly cover
Good Books rating 3.5
Thriller/Suspense
Buy online
Waterstones
Hardback • £16.99
Bookshop
Format • £16.14
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 510
  • Added: 2025-09-13
  • Updated: 2025-09-13
  • ISBN: 9781250337795
  • Publisher: Flatiron Books
  • Published: 2025-01-14
  • Formats: 49
  • Reviews: 3

Alice Feeney’s Beautiful Ugly is a dark, atmospheric thriller that delves into the complexities of a toxic marriage and the haunting aftermath of a wife’s mysterious disappearance. Grady Green, a once-successful author, is shattered when his wife Abby vanishes after a strange encounter on a lonely road. Struggling with grief and writer’s block, Grady retreats to a remote Scottish island to reclaim his life, only to discover unsettling secrets about Abby and the island’s eerie inhabitants. Set against the lush yet sinister backdrop of Amberly, the novel explores themes of betrayal, survival, and the duality of human nature. As Grady encounters a woman who looks exactly like Abby but with a different life, the lines between reality and deception blur. Beautiful Ugly combines psychological suspense with a richly layered narrative about loss, revenge, and the dark undercurrents beneath seemingly perfect relationships.

Reviews
Pretty Little Memoirs · 2025-01-30
dark 4.00

A chilling and dark thriller with unpredictable twists that grows increasingly sinister, making it a must-read for thriller lovers.

This review expresses strong admiration for the book's atmospheric and confining nature, highlighting how the story's twists come unexpectedly and deepen the darkness of the narrative. The reviewer appreciated the setting on a secluded Scottish island, which added to the eerie and immersive reading experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of psychological thrillers. Overall, the reviewer was pleasantly surprised by the depth and darkness of the story, marking it as a noteworthy thriller that stands out in the genre.

Quick quotes

    A chillingly confining read with a bolt from the blue at every twisty turn.

    It was hard to predict just how much this labyrinth of a story could grow darker.

    A deliciously dark book all thriller lovers need.

All About Romance · 2025-01-16
frustrated 2.00

The book's shocking twists feel unearned and overshadow the story, with characters that fail to engage and a plot that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

The reviewer was initially intrigued by the thriller’s premise and atmosphere but quickly grew frustrated as the story progressed. They found the protagonist increasingly unsympathetic and the plot melodramatic, culminating in a climax that felt forced and improbable. The common thriller trope of a big twist is criticized here as overused and disappointing, ultimately detracting from the book’s potential and leaving the reviewer unsatisfied with the character development and narrative coherence.

Quick quotes

    I am so over the big twist.

    It fails to provide characters worth caring about or a plot that holds together under the faintest scrutiny.

    By the time the island’s secrets began to emerge, my patience for the book’s hyped up melodrama came to a screeching halt.

Tessa Talks Books · 2025-01-08
thrilling 4.50

An immersive and twisty psychological thriller that fully delivers on its dark and thrilling promise.

This review praises the book for living up to its name as a psychological thriller that is both dark and twisty. The reviewer found the story deeply engaging and atmospheric, appreciating how it kept them hooked throughout. They highlight the book as a strong example of the genre, with a well-crafted narrative that delivers suspense and surprises, making it a rewarding read for fans of psychological thrillers.

Quick quotes

    Alice Feeney's Beautiful Ugly is a psychological thriller that absolutely lives up to its name.

    Dark, twisty, and completely immersive.

    A thrilling book that kept me hooked.

Appears in Lists