A review by tracyt223
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

4.0

Grady Green is a NYT bestselling author whose life has been turned upside down. After calling his wife to share the news, he hears Abby slam on the brakes and tells him she sees someone lying in the road.  He begs her not to get out of the car, but of course she does anyway, then nothing, total silence.  He finds her car abandoned by a cliffside, but she's nowhere to be found.  A year later he is struggling to move on with no answers and has developed terrible writer's block.  He is given an opportunity to go to a remote cabin on a Scottish Island to try to get back to writing.  Once he arrives he realizes there is no cell service, or phones and no way to really leave.  The island is definitely a character in it's self and it provided the perfect creepy, off balance vibe.  As we go along a lot of strange things start to happen, including Grady seeing what he thinks is his missing wife.  You're never really quite sure who or what to believe, is Grady loosing it or are these things for real.  It definitely keeps you guessing.  Some of the plot twists were a bit predictable and I am just wasn't crazy about the direction that the ending went, it just felt over the top and a bit off the rails.  I think this book had a lot of the classic Alice Feeney writing and plot that I love, and I will definitely keep reading anything she writes.  This one just wasn't my favorite of hers, but still good.  The audiobook was very well done with dual narration and also some atmospheric sounds thrown in as well.  
Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.  Publishes 01/14/2025