Dennis's Reviews > Beautiful Ugly

Alice Feeney's books really hit all over the place with me, from loving to hating, so I was really excited to pick up her upcoming 2025 psychological thriller, BEAUTIFUL UGLY. The book revolves around author Grady Green the disappearance of his wife Abby. Grady Green’s life is shattered when, mid-phone call, he hears his wife Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car—and then silence. Racing to the scene, he finds her car abandoned by a cliff edge, headlights on and her phone inside, but no sign of Abby. A year later, paralyzed by grief, Grady escapes to a remote Scottish island to recover and begin writing a new book to gain control of his career. Then, in a shocking twist, he spots a woman who looks just like his missing wife.

Beautiful Ugly unfolds much more slowly than Feeney's previous works, leaving me uncertain where the story would go, but constantly guessing. The island’s eerie setting and Grady’s insomnia blur the lines of reality, immersing you in his experience on this island. While the pacing drags a bit in the middle, it adds depth to the characters and intensifies the suspense, building up to a twist that I did not see coming!