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.

Book Type:

Psychological Thriller

Review: Beautiful Ugly

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney is an absolute masterclass in dark, twisted storytelling. Sinister and full of surprises, this thriller hooks you from the very first page. It’s wickedly fun to read, with impeccable pacing, steadily building tension, and enough twists to leave you reeling.

At its heart, the novel explores marriage, redemption, revenge, and resilience. We meet Grady Green, a once-successful author whose life has crumbled after his wife mysteriously disappeared on a day that should have been a celebration. Now paralyzed by grief, Grady has lost everything: his ability to write, his sense of purpose, and his way forward. In a last-ditch effort to revive his career, his agent sends him to a tiny, remote Scottish island, hoping the isolation will force him to write his next book.

But this is Alice Feeney we’re talking about, and nothing is ever what it seems. The island feels ominous and unsettling. Strange things begin to happen, the locals harbor their own secrets, and Grady—already unraveling—starts seeing his missing wife everywhere. Is it guilt? Grief? Or something far more sinister?

What sets Beautiful Ugly apart is Feeney’s ability to create an atmosphere so immersive, it feels like the damp chill of the Scottish island seeps through the pages. The plot is clever and labyrinthine, the characters expertly drawn—flawed, unreliable, and endlessly fascinating. Feeney crafts each layer of the story with precision, ensuring every reveal lands perfectly.

This is a book about secrets, grief, and the lies we tell ourselves and others. It’s a sharp, atmospheric, and thrilling ride that feels both dark and delicious. Feeney fans will find everything we love here—twists, tension, and a story that keeps you guessing until the very end.

5/5—an absolute must-read for thriller lovers.