Audiobook, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney @alicewriterland @alicefeeney.com @richardcarmitage @whiteboarfilms.com @twopencemiddleton @macmillan.audio #BeautifulUgly

Jonetta | Blue Mood Café


the setup…
Grady Green is an author whose first book was an astonishing success. He hasn’t achieved that same level with his following books but he finally got the call that his latest is now a New York Times bestseller. When he calls his wife Abby to share the news, he hears her car come to a screeching stop, her leave the car to assist a woman in the road and then…nothing. The line stays open and when he reaches her car, it’s abandoned and Abby has vanished. A year later, Grady is still grief stricken, unable to write as Abby was his muse and he’s almost destitute. Kitty, his agent and Abby’s godmother, offers him a cabin she inherited as a quiet refuge that will stimulate him creatively. It’s located on the small and isolated Isle of Amberley in Scotland. From the moment Grady steps off of that ferry, nothing is ever again what it seems.

the heart of the story…
Many books claim to be atmospheric but this one owns it at a level I’ve not experienced in a while. There’s something about that island and its residents that feels off despite their friendliness and Amberley’s beauty. The interior of the cabin is perfection with spectacular views and has the solitude Grady loves for writing. He has the primary narrative and when he starts seeing visions of Abby, his accounts become questionable, especially since he’s sleep deprived. But always in the background is a sense that something sinister is at play and I could never shake that feeling. I kept wanting him to run, get off that island and never look back.

the narration…
Richard Armitage was the perfect voice for Grady! I expected great storytelling and his mastery of the character was an added gift. Tuppence Middleton was just as wonderful as Abby. And, the sound effects just added to the suspense.

the bottom line…
I was off balance for the entire story, not knowing who to trust and choosing to trust no one. Everything about Amberley and the townspeople was just odd, with its strange rules and their cultish behaviors. I should have been prepared for that ending but my imagination just didn’t stretch that far. Thank goodness Feeney’s knows no limits. It continues to haunt me.

Book Info

  • Release Date: January 14, 2025
  • Narrators: Richard Armitage & Tuppence Middleton
  • Audio Length: 9 hours, 19 minutes
  • Publisher: Macmillan Audio

 

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(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

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Published by Jonetta | Blue Mood Café

18 thoughts on “Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney @alicewriterland @alicefeeney.com @richardcarmitage @whiteboarfilms.com @twopencemiddleton @macmillan.audio #BeautifulUgly”

  1. Pingback: 2025 Audiobook Challenge @caffeinatedreviewer.com @caffeinatedreviewer @jentwimom.bsky.social @jen_twimom #2025AudiobookChallenge – Blue Mood Café

  6. That ending was something! Unexpected and a bit confusing in its dramatic shift. Though everytime the location of where he ended up was mentioned – I instinctively knew that it was meant for him. Excellent review!

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  8. Excellent Review, Jo. I listened to this one this week and am still thinking about it. I need to post my review, but have to think about how to write it without giving anything away.

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