This book had me wanting to read page after page the more I read.
Pete Riley answers the door one morning and unleashes his and his partner Maddie’s worst nightmare, they are not the parents of their beloved son Theo. Miles Lambert and his private detective deliver the news that 2 babies were swapped in the neonatal unit and for the last 2 years they have been living with the wrong family. How will this resolve, are both families the perfect families for either child? How did the babies get swapped?
This book unfolds in the form of chapters from both Pete and Maddie from now and when Maddie 1st went into labour prematurely. Interspersed with court transcripts.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this I found the characters and their actions to be wholly believable.
I would like to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Pete and Maddie find themselves in a very difficult situation when they discover their 2 year old son, Theo, is not actually their biological child. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more by this author.

JP Delaney delivers another exceptional thriller with “Playing Nice”. Capitalising on every parents most deep-rooted fear, this is a breathtakingly plausible tale that sent chills through my very core...

When the charming and affable Miles turns up on Pete and Maddie’s doorstep with the devastating news that their son was mistakenly switched at birth in hospital with his and his wife Lucy’s son, the news triggers a series of events that will change both families forever. What starts as an amiable relationship that allows both couples access to their birth son soon spirals into a bitter custody battle, where Miles and Lucy are not playing fair. As it becomes increasingly likely that Pete and Maddie will lose their son, they will have to take every action within their power to fight for him. But secrets will be spilled and shocking truths revealed...how far will Pete and Maddie have to go to keep their son?

“Playing Nice” is one of the most gripping thrillers I have read this year. As a father myself, this novel spoke to the very core of my deepest fears as a parent. The thought of finding out my child isn’t mine quite literally sucks all of the air out of my lungs and causes my heart to palpitate, so I was on the edge of my seat from the moment I commenced chapter one. The suspense and the heart aching agony of the narrative did not let up until the final page was turned either. This really is the definition of a page-turner. What I found so mesmerising about this though was that all of the tension and unease felt throughout was not down to big, flashy moments of action or drama, but from the relentless build up of small, plausible and exasperating assaults against Pete and Maddie. There’s no bunny boiling moments a la Fatal Attraction here, which there easily could have been, risking making the narrative farcical. Therefore, whilst reading “Playing Nice” I could so easily believe how this situation developed and built to its thrilling climax. The fact that it is so believable and authentically created is precisely why it is such a top notch thriller. JP Delaney does domestic suspense with an effortless aplomb and is continually delivering.

I found Pete to be a very relatable character and I instantly liked him, which very firmly put me on his and Maddie’s side. I really liked the fact that whilst this is certainly the intention, neither Pete nor Maddie are without flaws and both have questionable traits. This makes them very human and all the more likeable, but also cleverly plants seeds of doubt as to the likelihood of them retaining custody of their son, Theo. Miles is a brilliantly constructed villain, who is able to blend seamlessly into society and hide the majority of his deplorable traits from plain view. He’s deceptively cunning and I found myself practically shaking my fist at my Kindle in frustration and outright anger at the actions he takes. I haven’t hated a fictional villain quite as much as Miles for a very long time - he literally made my blood boil! This, in part, is the power of Delaney’s writing and he perfectly creates an entirely detestable character in Miles. Miles’s wife Lucy is more of an enigma and Delaney very cleverly creates an air of mystery around her that helps propel the plot and ultimately becomes increasingly significant. She is initially understated in events, which helps readers to form less of a decisive opinion on her and leaves her involvement in proceedings unanswered until the final pages. Delaney’s style also helps to cement the tension and I enjoyed reading from different viewpoints (Pete and Maddie’s), which meant that things could be revealed to the reader without being public knowledge in the fictional world. The case notes that are interspersed between Pete and Maddie’s chapters also helped to form a likely conclusion to the custody case as the narrative progressed, but turn out to be altogether more surprising and I found the misdirection a clever ploy. I couldn’t guess the concluding chapters of the novel and I found them full of breathtaking suspense and a spine-tingling desire for things to work out for Pete and Maddie. Delaney does not disappoint on any level with “Playing Nice”!

This is a must read for 2020 and I highly recommend “Playing Nice”.

Really enjoyed this book from start to finish and could not put it down as I just had to find out what was going to happen next. With its ability to draw you in, this book is great for one of those days where you don't want to do anything but curl up with decent coffee and a good story to while away the day. Highly recommended.

I've been meaning to try JP Delaney's writing for a long time now, and even bought a physical copy of The Girl Before last year so I would finally do so... But somehow his titles have always slipped through the cracks so far. I was delighted when my request for his newest title Playing Nice was approved, because it ment that I now had the guarantee I would finally do so as I'm a sucker for sticking to deadlines... And I most definitely enjoyed my first experience with his writing. Well written, suspenseful, intense, shocking... Playing Nice is a more than solid psychological thriller.

The premise of this book is absolutely fascinating and without doubt the ultimate horror situation for new parents. Imagine not only having your child being born early and facing such difficulties, but then discovering two years later it isn't actually your child you've been caring for all this time? Babies switched at birth sounds like a Hollywood script, but sadly it still does happen in real life and it sounds terrifying. Especially if you have to deal with a person like Miles afterwards... It was fascinating to see both Pete and Maddie to react to the shocking news that Theo wasn't really their child, and seeing the resulting situation develop definitely had a lot of nail biting involved.

Playing Nice is psychological thriller at its best, where the suspense is build up slowly but steadily and the situation starts spinning out of control. That ominous feel is always present, and you keep wondering just how far things will go... Miles is the perfect villain and his character is very well developed. He is despicable of course, but his development and role in the plot really make this story. The story is told alternating between Pete and Maddie's POV, and we get to see the situation through both their eyes. Pete and Maddie's characters are both well developed too; they have their flaws, secrets and their development in general felt realistic. I wasn't sure if I actually liked them, or at least I wasn't really a fan of Maddie, but their situation is fascinating enough to keep you on your toes even if you are not able to connect to them fully.

What seems like an ordinary psychological thriller at first, soon turns into something a whole lot more intense after you realize the extent of the problems Pete and Maddie now face. Your inner alarm will sound straight away, and this will keep you on your toes as you keep reading and try to read the signs. When the situation starts spinning out of control, the level of intensity and suspense cranks up and there are quite a few plot twists bombs placed in convenient places. Playing Nice will go out with a bang as well, and if you enjoy the genre you will most likely enjoy your time with this one.

Another brilliantly twisted and twisty thriller from one of my favourite authors. A nightmare scenario of a story, and a great cast of characters - I couldn't put it down.

There were things I really, really enjoyed about this book. The storyline as an idea was great, the characters were extremely well crafted (some were very likeable, others less so, all had some flaws) and the story unfolded through the voices of Pete, Maddie and court transcripts. For me the plot slightly lacked drama, it was a slow build up (I didn’t actually mind that) to a slightly rushed ending. I would’ve liked some of the chapters to have given us the POV of Miles and Lucy too. All said it was a very enjoyable read and I would thoroughly recommend it. Thanks to netgalley for access to the arc

Playing Nice, J P Delaney. 4/5

What if you found out your family wasn’t yours at all? How far would you go to protect them? Pete Riley opens the door one morning to his worst nightmare, a stranger called Miles who reveals that his son isn’t actually his, but is in fact Miles’ son. Accidentally switched at birth. What follows unearths disturbing questions about the families involved, can they trust each other? The other parents? What do they all have to hide? What happens when they are done playing nice.

I LOVE J P Delaney, I am always here for any work he puts out. I absolutely love how he pivots on the “Thriller” genre. None of his books follow quite the same formula and I can never put them down, always finishing them in one sitting!

Playing Nice is a different kind of thriller yet again, from the moment Pete opens the door and Miles explains that Theo isn’t his child, that they’ve had their babies switched and the toddler he has raised, adored, loved and cherished for 2 years is not biologically his, but in fact, another child is, I had this feeling of absolute devastation and internal panic. It is so rare to find an author who can actually make you feel the way the characters do with such a real physical gut punch.

This again, is another thriller by J P Delaney with twist after twist after twist and just when you think the story has neatly wrapped itself in a bow, he delivers one final, brilliant knife to heart. Delaney is masterful with his craft, hooking you in immediately and keeping you hooked.

Excellent character development here as well, Delaney is skilled at writing both female and male perspectives credibly. Sometimes when writers juggle perspectives from both I find one narrative to be a little off, but not here, both perspectives flowed well together with distinctive voices.

His antagonist work here is excellent, I love finding an adversary I can truly hate and this story has a strong one. His research here is painstaking also.

It is hard to pick a favourite from Delaneys works, all are excellent, his quality doesn’t falter, but i think, on a personal level as a parent, this one strikes an even more terrifying chord.

This one is out August 6th and if you are a fan of Delaneys previous work or want to be hooked in by an unputdownable page turner, this is for you!

Thanks to #NetGalley, #JPDelaney and #QuercusBooks for my ARC of this book.

The premise of this book is every parents worst nightmare and it's a story i'd not come across before so i was very excited to read this. Unfortunately i feel the execution fell a little short. It was a very slow story and i didn't really connect with any of the characters. I found the main character rather annoying actually and as the story developed many parts of it felt unrealistic.

This was a very slow start for me. It look me to half way into the book to get into it. There were chapters through it that made no sense at all which was a little annoying. The characters werent as forth coming or as exciting throughout it. It did get interesting 3/4 of the way in and then the ending wasnt as big or dramatic as I thought it would have been. I heard some good things about this book but unfortunately it wasnt for me

As a mother I found this topic a little too distressing to read the book in full, however as with all of Delaney’s books the writing was fantastic and characters well thought out

What can I say about this book other than WOW! JP Delaney books never fail to shock and stun me and Playing Nice was no different. The storyline is clever and original and definitely keeps you guessing until the very last page. It is a twisty thriller. Just when you think that it can't get any worse you turn the page and bang! So good and I can't recommend it enough.

The nightmare begins one morning when Pete Riley answers the front door. Standing there is Miles Lambert and a private detective with news that will change his life forever. His son, Theo is not his biological son. Miles has proof that his son David and Theo were switched at the hospital almost 3 years ago. The 2 couples meet and decide that the best thing for the boys is to keep them as they are but for them to have part of both boys lives. All seems to be going well in the beginning, and then they decide to sue the hospital - and the real nightmare begins for Pete and his partner Maddie.

You will not believe what happens next, it will have you turning pages late into the night. Easily all the stars of this one

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus Books for my advanced copy of this book to read.

I'm not normally into books centred around families with children. I don't have children, so I sometimes find it hard to relate to these kind of stories. That having been said, it wasn't much of a stretch to understand the horror of JP Delaney's Playing Nice.

This book is about the Rileys whose lives are spun upside-down when they find out that their little 2-year-old Theo, isn't their birth son. The person giving them this news is Miles Lambert, the father of the child. He in turn has a son, David, who isn't his natural son either. David and Theo were switched at birth.

I have to confess that my mind immediately started reeling. I was considering what I would do in this situation. I felt so bad for the Rileys and Lamberts for this conundrum. This is a story of nature vs nurture at its best.

The two families decide to entwine their lives in the hope of becoming one unconventional family. However, how easy is it to trust each other in this situation?

I really enjoyed this concept & plot. This is a horror story even people without kids can understand. The characters are believable and they are consistent. You know what they are made of and by the end of the novel you understand their motives. That's incredibly important in a hard-hitting slow-burning thriller like this.

The plot twists are mild, but incredibly shocking. They suit the story. It's not a conventional thriller, but it is insanely creepy. I couldn't put the book down because I couldn't wait to read what would happen next.

The story is told from three perspectives: Pete Riley, Maddie (his girlfriend) and court evidence. This provides an interesting mix of different and sometimes conflicting perspectives.

My rating isn't the full five stars, because I unfortunately didn't like Pete that much. He made decisions that at times frustrated me. These decisions often resulted in "twists" but those are the ones you can see coming from a mile. It didn't necessarily ruin the experience for me, but it was something that certainly dampened it for me a bit.

All-in-all I found it to be a great novel with a fantastic storyline. I have never read anything else by JP Delaney, but I'll immediately have a look through his previous books to see if something tickles my fancy.

Many thanks to the publisher Quercus Books and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy!

A disturbing plot, characters you will love, characters you will hate, and some thrilling psychological writing that will keep you engrossed from the start. Add to that some intense family drama and a lot of introspection and you have yourself a captivating read.

With ‘Playing Nice’, we are thrown into a nightmare situation of the discovery of a baby swap two years on. Wow, I cannot even comprehend how I would handle the situation, and even though this book had me questioning myself throughout, I still do not know the answer, and I am glad I will never need to. Aside from that, the book also had my mind reeling on the subject of the psychopathy spectrum, how it affects children, and the merits of nature versus nurture when it comes to inherent, genetic predilections. Unfortunately (or fortunately perhaps), it also had me questioning the behaviour of myself and close friends when it comes to the spectrum. We will see where that leads…

Anyway, back to ‘Playing Nice’. Great, enjoyable read!

Oh My! What a concept for a book. Imagine one day opening your door to a man who looks just like your son and who goes on to say that he is his real father and that "your" son and "his" were swapped in hospital. Your sons being 2 years old at this stage. Well, Pete experienced just that when Miles arrived into his life, lawyer in tow as he explains how he is going to sue the hospital. Add in that the two children are both very different and require their own challenges medically and behaviorally, throw in an ultra competitive parent, some post natal depression, and submissive behaviour and you have yourself the startings of a very wild ride indeed that had me literally glued to the pages of this car-crash of a book. You know the ones, you want to know but at the same time you can't read!
Less is more going into this book. There is so much fun to have along the way with all the twists and turns it delivers, most with a high shock value, that going in blind is the way forward. I say fun, well, not fun exactly due to the subject matter, but you get what I really mean.
The characters are all really well drawn, some you like, others well... you'll see! But all believable within their own personalities and actions speak for those very well. Pacing is good and fits well with the narrative all the way through. There are quieter moments which I was thankful for as they gave me a bit of breathing space, but on the whole it got on with itself very well, ramping up for a quite shocking conclusion. It's quite heavy on the emotions but you'll realise that it's bound to be from the blurb.
All in all, a cracking book that I devoured in just one day. Can't wait to see what the author serves up for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

WOW
How do I review this book and do it justice? I will try....

Pete and Maddie have a good life with their 2 year old son Theo
All is fine and dandy
Until one afternoon Peter opens the door to Miles, and his solicitor, who inform him that their children, Theo and David, were swopped at birth....and here is the DNA proof
Talk about a bombshell
It’s hard to describe how utterly compelling the next 400 pages are suffice to say your emotions and feelings will be churned and flung around as you discover at first the depths one of the 4 will go to to get what they want from the situation, this then changing to ‘what depths all 4 will go to’ as the book goes on
It’s fair to say I read a lot and it’s unusual for me to shout in frustration at a situation, this book made me, its so intensely done it really gets to you ( in a good way)
It’s brilliant, the whole thing, the characters, the atmosphere, the writing, the interesting factual side to what has happened ( past cases etc ) and the way the investigation into what has happened are told in such a way it keeps you entranced with every word
Expect a roller coaster and a feverish excited tense and amazing read right till the last full stop
AMAZING BOOK
10/10
5 Big Stars

I was lucky enough to get sent an advanced copy of ‘Playing Nice’,JP Delaney’s highly anticipated new psychological thriller, before its publication date for an honest review. Thank-you Netgalley and Quercus Books
!!!!!

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK, BUT I DIDN’T LOVE IT. This is due to the fact I’d mentally prepared myself for a crazier ending and this book was focused more on the unsettling journey of the characters rather than shocking twists. It’s not as dramatic as his previous thrillers ‘The Girl Before’ and ‘Believe Me’, but that isn’t necessarily a negative thing.

Like all JP Delaney thrillers, you are fully absorbed in the book until you’re spat out at the end. His writing is seriously very gripping, and his plots intense and twisty. If you’re not familiar with his work.
1) WHERE HAVE YOU FUCKIN BEEN ?!?!?! 2) READ HIS BOOKS AT ONCE

After being disappointed with last year’s release ‘The Perfect Wife’ (it felt more sci-fi to me than psychological thriller) I worried that ‘Playing Nice’ would be equally as disappointing because the story-line wouldn’t be one that I would normally gravitate towards.…. So I’d recommend going into this book with an open-mind, you will be pleasantly surprised !!!!!!

THE PLOT OF THIS BOOK IS EVERY FAMILIES FUCKIN NIGHTMARE. Imagine going through the trauma of a premature emergency c-section birth, the anxiety that your baby might not survive, your baby does survive, against the odds, and is your absolute world, and then you find out 2 years later…. That, that baby isn’t even YOURS ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ‘KIN ‘ELL

IF YOU’RE A FAN OF JP DELANEY, INCREDIBLE WRITING, SKILLFULLY PACED PLOTS, AMAZING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND ARE AFTER A SOME SURPRISING TWISTS BUT NOT QUITE PANIC ATTACK INDUCING THEN I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND PREORDERING THIS BOOK. ITS RELEASED ON 6TH OF AUGUST, OR IF YOU’RE A KINDLE FAN 28TH JULY (NEXT TUESDAY) !!!!

#PlayingNice #NetGalley

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I have read and enjoyed all of J P Delaney's previous books and I wasnt disappointed. I haven't read a book quite so fast for sometime. I literally couldn't put it down, reading into the early hours. This book will appeal to any parent, male or female.
It is a gripping thriller that addresses the issue of nature versus nurture and really does pull at your heart strings. You really cannot help wondering what you would do in this situation and what the outcome in the book will be. Just when you think the situation can't get any worse for Pete and Maddie, it does! Time and time again thus keeping the reader turning the pages to see what will happen next.
The characterisation is absolutely brilliant. Two very different couples and four very different individuals, all hiding secrets. The revelation of some of those secrets not being revealed until the very end, ensuring that the reader is gripped until the very last page. Well done to the author J P Delaney. I cannot wait for your next book!

Playing Nice by JP Delaney tells the story of two couples whose babies were swapped at birth. The book is a psychological thriller that will make you question what you will do if faced with the same situation. This book is as engaging as "The Girl Before" written by the same author, paranoia, lies, unexpected twist, trust are common elements in both novels. In Playing Nice, the main characters are Pete and his partner Maddie whose baby was swapped at birth with Miles and Lucy's baby. Miles has an amoral attitude to life while on the other hand, Pete is an agreeable person with servile characteristics. Their different personality traits add another dimension to the novel at the point where dialogue and compromise become futile in deciding the future of the swapped babies who have now been with their respective families for two years. Having read a previous novel by the same author, I found this book equally engrossing and highly recommend it.

The day Miles knocks on Pete and Maddies door is a day that will change their lives, Miles tells Pete that two year old Theo isn’t his son and there was a mix up at the hospital. To begin with all goes well and both families co operate to bring up Theo and David, but when things don’t all go Miles’ way things take a turn for the worse.

A really good book that had be absolutely gripped from the beginning.