Beautiful Ugly opens with a dramatic event. Author Grady Green receives the news that his latest novel is a best seller, but his wife is not there to celebrate with him. He calls her as she’s on her way home. All he hears is her stop the car suddenly then head outside as there’s a woman on the road. Her car is discovered exactly as she left it and there’s no sign of her. Grady knows she was receiving threats on account of her work as an investigative journalist, and is convinced this might be behind her disappearance.
Nearly a year later Grady is struggling to cope. He can’t write and has been forced to sell his home. He’s given a lifeline by his agent…the opportunity to spend some time in the rural writing retreat of a previous client.
So Grady finds himself heading to the remote island of Amberly. Devoid of cell service, shops, TV and home to only 25 inhabitants Amberly is the kind of place that would not be for everyone. When Grady is convinced he’s seen his wife, it begins a drawn out and rather scary experience.
We’re never quite sure what he’s imagining or what is happening. The characters on the island are somewhat elusive and their habits and stories are more than a little disconcerting. Eventually we find out what’s happening, and why. I didn’t see it coming.