How would you feel as a parent of a two year old happily settled into family life, unconditionally loving that child only to be were told your child wasn’t biologically yours? That’s exactly the scenario for Pete and Maddie who have already been on a rollercoaster ride of emotion since the premature birth of son Theo, spending weeks in the NICU before beginning normal life as a family of three. Add to that Maddie’s spell of post partum psychosis and you can’t help feeling these two have had a rocky start to parenthood. You can imagine when stranger Miles Lambert turns up on their doorstep, claiming that Theo and his son David have been swapped at birth that this earth shattering news will be insurmountable. The burning questions are how has this happened, who is to blame and more importantly how are both families are going to deal with this highly unusual predicament? ‘Playing nice’ seems to be the mature way forward, lulling Pete and Maddie into a state of false security. It’s naivety on their part to believe the future can be so straightforward. As a reader your gut instinct warns you this is too good to be true and as the Lamberts quickly insinuate themselves into Pete, Maddie and Theo’s lives it’s inevitable that boundaries are crossed and a tenuous trust is broken. With life rapidly spiralling out of control this makes for a gripping, if anxiety inducing read.

The nature versus nurture debate was immediately at the forefront of my mind when reading this novel. Pete as primary career to Theo has to be commended for his dedication to honing his parenting skills and I loved his use of dad website to bolster his confidence. However as the storyline progresses and the reader gains further valuable insight into Miles character the nature element really comes into force with regards to Theo. Is it a case of like (biological) father like son? I enjoy a novel that provides food for thought and this is no exception.

For the majority of the time I spent reading this novel my blood pressure was gradually increasing to the point I could use the phrase ‘made my blood boil’ accurately! I felt intense anger and frustration not only towards the Lamberts (and Miles in particular) but also at the state’s role in this sorry state of affairs. My sympathy and loyalty never wavered away from Pete and Maddie since they were entirely at the mercy of Miles behaviour and the social worker involved as well as the lawyers. I’m not trying to cast judgement on the necessary role the state has to play in terms of child welfare but I could quite happily have swung for that social worker. Her overused refrain ‘don’t you see’ was patronising in the extreme and there would have been no playing nice as far as I was concerned. I did find it incredulous that two families could find themselves in such an unusual situation making me ponder the question ‘how would I deal with this’?? I think the answer is not very well!!! Automatically I was relating these fictional events to my own mother/daughter relationship knowing I would be fighting tooth and nail to preserve the status quo. It’s goes without saying that I felt sadness for the two little boys unwittingly caught up in this nightmare.

I loved the title of this book. I think it aptly describes saint Pete, as his wife affectionately calls him, who has to be admired for trying to be the better person in this bizarre situation, although his character isn’t without flaws. Wife Maddie comes across as a cold fish which may actually be a blessing in disguise whilst Miles made my skin crawl. Lucy Lambert seemed forever on the periphery, a figure overshadowed by her husband.
I adored Theo’s exuberance which was joyous although in reality I would have found him a challenge whilst David and his life limiting condition cuts a pitiful character by comparison.

There’s such a sinister element to the storyline with the author creating Miles as the perfect villain to despise. Manipulative, controlling, lacking in empathy and with a streak of evil running right through him, I loved how the plot thickens and becomes more complex, leaving the reader more aghast with each development.

The nature versus nurture element to the storyline would make this an interesting choice for a book club discussion. Although Playing Nice has received mixed reviews I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it, as a piece of fiction I think it’s well paced, with just enough suspense and it conjured up all kinds of emotions. The twists and turns aren’t as shocking or surprising as you might prefer or expect but I never lost interest. Perhaps the storyline is a little bit predictable in terms of its conclusion but that didn’t bother me at all. I simply felt relieved that I wasn’t at the centre of this unlikely scenario.
I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as his previous novel The Perfect Wife but nonetheless would still recommend.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

Pete & Maddie are blindsided one day on answering their door to a stranger claiming to be the father of their young son Theo. As they are forced to confront every parent's nightmare of an infant intensive care unit swap, comfort can at least be found through weathering the storm with a couple who seem aligned in wanting the best for the children. How will they cope; however, when forced to re-live the harrowing distress of Theo's birth and its ripple effects, as the Lamberts start to put their faith in them to the test...?

Wow, this was an emotional roller-coaster! JP Delaney has been a must buy author for me since I discovered The Girl Before a few years ago and was totally enchanted. I have been gripped by each book so far and ravenous for the next page, resulting in a guaranteed 24 hour finish. Playing Nice was no exception. Told from the dual perspectives of Pete & Maddie, the story is interspersed with court documents which give an inkling along the way to the precarious nature of the situation to which the couple are exposed. So emotive was the story that I yelled out loud at several points along the way, begging the characters not to succumb to the writing on the wall.

Whilst there was a clear path for the story trajectory from the opening chapters, it would be wrong to assume that this is in anyway a predictable tale. There are plenty of twists and surprises sprinkled throughout - enough to keep even the most committed thriller lover gripped. For anyone that knows me, I love a tidy ending and this book did not fail to deliver.

I'm so thankful to Netgalley, Quercus & JP Delaney for allowing me the honour to pre-read and review this book. Add this 5 star read to your TBRs - I am desperate to talk to people about it so please share with me your thoughts!

This is my first book by JP Delaney and it will not be my last. This author pulled me in straight from the start and I could not put the book down. How would you cope finding out your child is not your child, shocking and heartbreaking with very surprising twists.
A very clever and heart wrenching thriller which kept me intrigued until the very end. Very enjoyable read and highly recommended read.

What could be your worst nightmare as a parent? Your child getting hurt? Them not having any friends? Or perhaps, someone telling you that your own child, who you have given birth to and loved, isn't actually yours?

Theo had a traumatic entrance into the world, one that Pete and Maddie will never forget, but nothing trumps Miles Lambert showing up at their home with a private investigator and saying that Theo is actually his son, and they have theirs.

When both couples start to get friendly, Maddie senses that something isn't right. Apparently Theo and David were swapped at birth, but who would do such a thing and why are they only finding out about it now?

Miles and Lucy are lovely. They're charming, playful and Theo adores them, so why can't Pete shake the feeling that something is off with the pair?

Playing Nice by J.P. Delaney is the fourth book by the author and what an absolute gem it is. The day I received the ARC I nearly screamed! As you all know he, he has become one of my favourite authors. So a big thanks is in order for NetGalley and Quercus.

The book was very gripping from start to end. The chapters are quick so you fly straight through them and the story is narrated between Pete and Maddie. I feel this one is better than its predecessor, The Perfect Wife. There was certainly more of an edge to this and the plot was a lot darker than the last, I would say on the same parr as The Girl Before.

The plot is rich and equally creepy, I literally couldn't put it down and was reading into the early hours of the morning. The amount of twists in the story and how it all unfolds is genius, all the way to the end it had you suspecting but then it twists again and leaves you shocked!

The thing I love about JP Delaney's books is that the plots are so different to everything else on the shelves at the time they're published. Then there's the unique style of writing which just flows from the page and has you reading on and on far later into the night than you planned to.
In Playing Nice we are introduced to Maddie and Pete and their whirlwind son Theo who came bursting into the world far sooner than planned, plunging Maddie into a dark world of post partum psychosis. These events lead to Pete taking the role of stay at home dad while Maddie returned to work as the main breadwinner. It's on his return from taking Theo to his nursery placement that Pete and Maddie's world is turned upside down and well and truly shaken. Answering a knock at the door Pete is met by two men, one a private detective and the other his client Miles Lambert. They drop the bombshell that a DNA test has proven that Theo and another baby from the neonatal unit were switched not long after birth some 2 years earlier and it's time to try and rectify the situation somehow. Discussions start off extremely amicably but it's not long before we start to feel the mood change between the two couples.
The author has clearly done a lot of background research into how a switch might be possible at the hospital and the legalities of correcting such a traumatic event. The emotions felt by the parents, the practicalities of taking a toddler's best interests to heart, the whole situation is dealt with confidently and sensitively by the author and I was swept along as events took more and more sinister turns along the way.
Every single character was created with depth from the arrogant, pushy Miles to the officious social services staff who made me want to slap them with their box-ticking exercises and insinuations.
I find this author so easy to read despite some very tricky subject matter. I thoroughly enjoyed The Girl Before but feel that this is on another level again. You will want to put the Do Not Disturb sign up and lose yourself among the pages - and probably lynch Miles Lambert while you're at it!!

WOW, Wow, wow...absolutely loved this book!!

Imagining opening your door one day to a complete stranger who tells you that the little boy you have been calling your son for the last 2 years is in fact NOT your son!

Pete and Maddie were told one day by a total stranger that Theo there son was swapped/mixed up at birth and in fact is not there son. He belongs to Miles and Lucy who have there son David, who has special needs.

Both families decide to try be civil and make arrangements so that both families are involved in the boys lives and keep things as normal as can be. Until things become a complete mess.

This book is absolutely brilliant. I find lately that a lot of thrillers are so alike. They are all quite similar and this book was the total opposite. Nothing like I've read before, I couldn't put it down. It was so fast paced and so well written. I loved how it went from Maddies view to Pete's and then the court case in between. It had me guessing the whole time. A topic that is not likely to happen or be in the news and could have came across so far fetched was the total opposite. It was so real life and the author did this so well writing such a brilliant book. These book is an easy 5/5 for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and JP Delaney for this ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Pete and Maddie were expecting a baby boy. They had been to a wedding reception and when she didn’t feel the baby move she went for a check up and got admitted immediately. Their baby, Theo, was born. He was premature when born in a private hospital then transferred to NICU at St Alexanders to help him survive or otherwise he could die. Little did they know the heartache that was in store for them

Two years later there was a knock at the door. Pete Riley answers to find Miles Lambert and Don Maguire on his doorstep. Two strangers that he has never met before but he had spotted lurking near Theo’s nursery that morning with a woman. Miles advises, ‘there was no easy way for him to do this so he’s just going to just say it. Prepare yourself for a shock. Theo is not your son. He’s mine!’

Pete can’t take it in. This can’t be right. He’s devastated. Pete mentions that Theo got a bit physical at nursery sometimes but they were working on it. Miles said, ‘he was the same at that age.’ Miles was asking a lot of questions about Theo.

I broke the news to Maddie over the phone by letting her know, ‘Theo was ok but there was a man and a private detective that had just called round. He reckons Theo is not our son, somehow the babies were switched at birth. In the NICU at St Alexanders. I researched Miles Lambert. Also, swapped babies on google. We were in a grey area due to the babies age, perhaps that was why they were doing it now. When Maddie got home we discussed it. Maddie wanted to know how he found out that Theo wasn’t his son but Miles hadn’t said. Theo did look like Miles whereas David looked like Maddie and she liked the picture when I showed her.

We had to get together with the other couple and sort something out but we didn’t want to give up Theo. He was our son, regardless of what Miles Lambert said! It seemed like they had obviously had a head start and consulted some lawyers, got a DNA test done as well. Some ground rules had to be sorted out.

Pete, Maddie and Theo went to meet the Lamberts at their house. They hadn’t been forewarned about David’s health conditions so it came as a bit of a shock to them. The house was massive and they had a nanny to look after David. Both families agree they are happy with the status quo and wouldn’t want to swap them back. They want them to become part of each other’s lives.

Unfortunately, with the families beginning a lawsuit against the hospital, it opens a whole can of worms for Pete and Maddie as their entire life is turned upside down and their relationship is tested to the limit. It appears Miles Lambert is being quite underhand and feels sure he will get Theo back, possibly leaving Pete and Maddie with no child. They have to learn to up their game but play inside the rules.

This was a brilliant psychological thriller which I read through the night in one sitting, I had to know how it ended! The plot was great, well thought out and excellently written. It was written in diary style and each entry said whose it was. I was hooked from the start and didn’t see the ending coming.

#PlayingNicely @QuercusBooks

Every parent's worst nightmare comes true for Pete Riley when he answers the door to a stranger only to be told that his son, Theo, is not his biological son at all, but the son of this stranger, Miles Lambert. As an investigation is launched into how such a mix up could have happened, the two families try to navigate their new circumstances and come to an arrangement where they can co-parent the two children. But with Miles's behaviour becoming increasingly erratic, and his temper increasingly frayed, the Rileys find themselves living in a nightmare they could never have imagined...

I really enjoyed this edgy, nerve jangling thriller. The character of Miles was a little too evil-villain for my liking, but the other characters were well-drawn and realistic, and I like how the author used their own flaws against them. This one kept me on the edge of my seat, and rarely have I wanted a character to suffer a terrible fate as much as I wished it for Miles Lambert!

Taut, twisty, and a really enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley who provided me with a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! A clever and heart wrenching psychological thriller that kept me guessing to the very end, be prepared for an emotional ride especially if you are a parent. I have read all of JP Delaney’s previous books and I think this one is my new favourite.

My thanks to Quercus Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Playing Nice’ by J.P. Delaney in exchange for an honest review.

Last year I read Delaney’s ‘The Perfect Wife’ and was extremely impressed and so was looking forward to his latest thriller.

The nightmare for Pete Riley and his partner Maddie begins when he answers the door to Miles Lambert, who breaks the devastating news that Theo, their two-year-old son, actually isn’t theirs but was mixed up at birth with the Lambert’s son, David.

To make the situation more complicated both Theo and David were ‘premmies’ born on the same day and both admitted to a NICU, which is where the mixup occurred.

The two families, including Miles’ wife Lucy, agree that rather than swap the boys back that they will try to find a more flexible way to proceed.

It would be a pretty dull thriller if things stopped there. No, the differences in lifestyles and personalities of the parents quickly start causing problems. Their plan to sue the hospitals involved also triggers an investigation. No further details in order to avoid spoilers.

Even though I am not a parent, I could appreciate the dilemma faced by Pete and Maddie.

This was a cracking thriller, again cementing Delaney’s reputation for me as a top-notch author of domestic noir/psychological thrillers.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thank you to @netgalley and Quercus Books for allowing me to read this ARC!

Two babies swapped at birth, shocking discovery but will it all go as smoothly as things first seem?

First of all the main thing I loved about this book, is its so fast paced. None of it dragged on & I found myself wanted to carry on reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next! A few things were predictable and I did guess part of the plot however this didn't make me not enjoy it and there was still some twists that got me.

The main reason what lost a star for me, was the ending. There was things throughout that made me think that wouldn't happen but then again it is fiction. But the ending.. I'm not sure. I feel as though some people will be happy with the ending, however I do wish things would've been slightly different.

Overall it was a brilliant read, good storyline and I definitely want to try more of JP's books!

JP Delaney has done it again!!

A brilliant book that I could not put down!

The story is told by Maddie and Pete, parents of Theo....or so they think. They have struggled with Theo’s premature birth and Maddie’s breakdown which followed. They have come through it and are building a life they both enjoy.

Until Miles arrives that is. He brings news that will throw their lives into more chaos than they could have imagined.

The book keeps you hooked from start to finish and throws in some twists along the way.

Astonishingly good!

So this one for me was a slow burner to start. I could see where this this was going, but I was eager to see how this was going to play out for Pete and Maddie. And when all the pennies began to drop, they left huge craters. This is a flat out, jaw dropping thrill of a ride. Whilst you need to dispel some of the “this would never happen in real life, surely!” thoughts, just go along with it. And I have to say, I felt the ending was very satisfying.

This book pulls you in right from the start. Your 2 year old son isn’t your child, how would you cope with that? The story has a fast pace with surprising twists as the story unfolds. You have to keep reading to find out just where it will go next. It does go to places that seem a shade fanciful but then the whole situation is a total drama. Most enjoyable read.

I could not put this down and read in one day! A story of normal, flawed people just getting on with their lives as best they can. Suddenly one day you find out that the child you have loved and cherished for 2 years is not, in fact, your biological child. That is when the nightmare begins and lives are ruined.
This book had me hooked from the first page, desperate to know what was going to happen next and left me thinking and considering what I would do long after I finished it.
Riveting!
Many thanks to Netgalley/J. P. Delaney/Quercus Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars
JP Delaney is one of the authors whose books I read without looking at the blurb, as although all very different, they are always guaranteed to be well-written, interesting and gripping. Playing Nice is no exception - a compulsive and fascinating story, full of twists and OMG! moments. At the same time it explores so many themes: from parenting, families and relationships to mental healths issues, feminism, our social care system and NHS. I truly couldn’t put it down.

Having previously really enjoyed J P Delaney’s ‘The Perfect Wife’ I was excited to get approved for the ARC for ‘Playing Nice’. Whereas The Perfect Wife was more a sci-fi thriller this is a lot more of a domestic, psychological thriller and it really shows off the author’s range. It’s an interesting and terrifying premise – a family get a knock at the door to tell them that the child that they have been parenting for 2.5 years doesn’t biologically belong to them due to a mix-up at the hospital.

What I really enjoyed about this book was just how well everything was planned out by the author. It’s paced so well - everything is revealed slowly with the stakes getting just a little higher each time. There’s a sinister undertone to book even from the initial few chapters and it pulls you in to wanting to find out more – I finished the book in just two sittings. It’s also nicely researched and nothing felt over the top of out of the realms of realism.

The book is narrated in alternate chapters between parents Pete and Maddie. They both have secrets to keep and a lot of these are not revealed to the reader until further in the plot-line which makes them both feel like unreliable narrators at times. As there are only two narrators you really get a chance to get to know them and they feel well-rounded and grounded in reality. The ending of the book has a nice mini-twist and it really is a satisfying ending for a stand-alone thriller – it doesn’t wrap up everything in a nice bow but leaves you with enough to not need more but to keep you thinking about it long after you put it down.

Overall Playing Nice is a great psychological thriller which is nicely plotted, well paced and has some seriously sinister undertones – highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley & Quercus Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You hear a knock at the door.

You answer the door.

You are told that the toddler you would do anything for is not actually your son; the chaos following a traumatic delivery has resulted in the most egregious error imaginable.

This is the situation that Pete Riley finds himself in at the start of this book when Miles Lambert and a solicitor knock at his door. The two couples involved in the situation initially try to reach an amicable solution to the situation, but it very quickly becomes apparent that Miles will stop at nothing to gain full custody of both children. What follows is an intelligent psychological thriller, full of shocking twists and turns, secrets and revelations and the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect a beloved child.

At the core of the book are some intriguing psychological questions. What exactly does it mean to be a parent, and for a child, is it nature or nurture that forms personality and behavioural traits.

I was completely enthralled by this book, and can safely say that J.P. Delaney is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Pete Riley answers the door one morning and let's in a parents worst nightmare. Miles Lambert, a stranger, breaks devastating news that Pete's son, Theo, isn't actually his son., he the Lamberts. Theo had been switched at birth at the hospital. For Pete and his partner, Maddie and the little boy they've been raising, life will never be the same again. The two families are still reeling from the shock.

Pete and Maddie, and Miles and Lucy's twoclear old sons were accidently switched at birth. A mistake that was made in hospital when the wrong name bands were put on the babies. Miles and Lucy's child, David has birth defects that need special care. This story must be every parents worst nightmare. There's a little relief when both sets of parents agree that they love the son they've raised and don't want to switch them. They just want to be involved in each other's life. This is a gripping and compelling read. I went through all the emotions with Pete and Maddie. The story is told from Pete and Maddie's point of view and covers: deceit, mental health issues, betrayal, secrets and lies. This is a great read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author J.P Delaney for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pete opens the door to shocking and jaw dropping news of his son and the book never lets up that suspense! Definitely action packed to the end!