If you gloss over the fact that a lot of this is not realistic and extremely improbable, and just roll with the story, this really is very good. I found i couldn't put it down, I had to read to the very end before I could sleep! The characters weren't particularly likable, some were hateful but it only served to heighten the tension on every page. It has a strong, gripping storyline that builds and gathers speed, relentlessly throughout the book. I thought it had a satisfying and rewarding ending. What a treat, its been ages since I enjoyed a story so much. Would recommend.

I was addicted, a totally captivating read that you can't put down until the end.

A binge worthy read at its absolute finest!

More please Delaney.

Although I enjoyed this book and the storyline, I felt like it was quite dragged out and slow, and a lot longer than it actually needed to be. I always enjoy JP Delaney’s writing so I knew that I was going to like this one, but it definitely wasn’t my favourite. Part of the storyline was predictable, but the ending did surprise me. It was an interesting storyline idea, and one that I haven’t read about before - which is always a pleasant surprise with crime/thrillers! However some parts did feel a little far-fetched and unrealistic. I didn’t love the storyline, but I did really enjoy the writing. JP Delaney’s books are always very quick and easy to read, with chapters that are the perfect length and writing that’s guaranteed to make you want to read more. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

A very interesting read based on a horrifying situation, although I would say it was more of a domestic drama than a thriller. Still a good read though

JP Delaney is becoming one of my top authors of late; such well written books in a way that makes them impossible to put down!! Absolutely loved playing nice; this is my genre to the letter!!

They've got your child. You've got their's... Let the battle begin.

WOW...WOW...WOW!!! How can I even begin to review this book and do it justice?

PLAYING NICE is pretty much the opposite of "playing nice", rather more a tongue in cheek play on words...but very clever indeed. As is the entire book. I've only read one J.P. Delaney book before and that was his debut under this pseudonym "The Girl Before" and it was OK-ish so I naturally went into it a little apprehensive but I needn't have worried because it seriously has nothing on this one! O.M.G. as in Oh-Em-Gee!!

I was gripped from the moment I started reading and I could not put it down, even when I had to...to, you know, deal with real life. The premise was intriguing to say the least but the story drew me in and had me hooked until the very end. It is so clever, so intricate and so complex your head will be swimming with all that was lumped at this poor couple's feet.

But how did they get here?

Imagine answering a knock on your door while your son is at nursery to a man who, not only is the spitting of your son, but claims that he is not actually your son but his. That is what happened to Pete Riley one morning whilst perusing the DadsForum after dropping exuberant two year old Theo at nursery. At first, his reaction is that it's not true. Then upon noting the obvious resemblance his next thought is that Maddie had been unfaithful with this man and now he has come to lay claim to his child. But what this stranger, Miles Lambert, reveals is something far more complex and devastating that any infidelities. The man with Miles is Don Macguire, a private investigator that he had engaged to track down his biological son, and with him is irrefutable proof that Theo is in fact the Lambert's child.

So what happened?

That in itself is a long story and one the reader needs to experience themselves to fully appreciate it in its entirety. But I will say that the two babies were switched not long after birth resulting in Theo becoming Pete and partner Maddie's son whilst their child becomes David Lambert. What a heartbreaking thing to have happened to two families...or is it? What if it wasn't an accident but a purposeful act? But surely, no one would do that intentionally? The babies came from private clinics and were transferred at the same time to the same neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and could have inadvertently been mixed up. After all, the flimsy paper tags placed around the babies' legs after birth aren't designed for premmies that small and they can easily slip off. It's the only conclusion both families comes to...but it is negligence just the same. Isn't it?

So let's get the players straight. We have:

Pete Riley, a freelance journalist, and Maddie Wilson, an advertising executive, parents of two year old Theo who is rather exuberating to say the least. They have been having some behavioural problems with him as Theo does not seem to grasp the concept of sharing and when he wants something another child has, he hits them to get it. Of course the nursery frowns on this sort of behaviour, and yet they are not equipped to deal with the specific needs that each child might require. So instead of discussing different forms of discipline with Pete, they exclude Theo from the nursery...this having been the fourth incident in five weeks. Pete adores Theo and does his utmost best for the child. However, his time-out and naughty step strategies don't appear to be working. But does that make him a bad parent? Of course not. Every child is different and therefore may have different, or rather specific, needs. So while Pete is a stay at home dad, a job he loves more than he thought he would, Maddie works in advertising which sees her away a few times a year for location shoots. But does that make her a bad parent? No, of course it doesn't. Even if she isn't as hands on as Pete, she still loves Theo with every breath in her body.

Then we have Miles and Lucy Lambert. They parent two year old David who is quite different from Theo in just about every way possible. But it is clear from the moment Pete and Maddie step into their house that Lucy adores David with every fibre of her being. He is her world and to uproot either child from their current living circumstances would be detrimental to both of them. But Miles, however, is a different kettle of fish. When he first knocked on Pete's door and introduced himself, he was amicable and friendly and even understanding. After initial contact and meeting, the couples made an amicable arrangement which appeared to suit both families. And then Miles started making suggestions and offers that came packaged as gestures of goodwill. A suggestion that they spend Easter together by Maddie turned into a week-long holiday in Cornwall that Miles booked for them all...without discussing it with them first. And then he would turn up at their house unannounced with expensive gifts for Theo, all smiles and friendliness.

But one little white lie snowballed into something far greater than Pete and Maddie could ever imagine it would become. As the plot evolved quickly, things got ugly. And then difficult. And then even uglier. What it became was a living breathing nightmare from which neither could see an end.

If you haven't read this book then you seriously need to! It is so addictive I couldn't put it down. It is powerful, emotive and compelling that you will run the gauntlet with an outpouring of emotions...from devastation to horror to anger...and boy, did this story elicit a range of emotions for me, particularly anger - having been through something similar, even as nasty with a just as despicable adversary, that brought those old emotions to the surface once again.

What began as a family drama is twisted into a complex thriller that plays one another off the other as it becomes an even greater tangled web of secrets, lies, deception and underhandedness in the extreme. And what Pete and Maddie find themselves up against stretches them both almost to breaking point. Until they decide to beat Miles at his own game, stopping at nothing to keep their family safe. If he wasn't playing nice, then neither were they.

I seriously cannot praise this book enough. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it, despite its ability to make me squirm with anger. The unfairness and injustice just made my blood boil that the good intent and gracious hearts of those were trodden over without a care just to win and claim the prize.

A rollercoaster ride from the narratives of Pete and Maddie throughout, as well as the intermittent excerpts from conversations, reports and evidence gathered over the course of battle taking place, PLAYING NICE is chilling and disturbing on a whole other level. It's a dark suspenseful psychological thriller throughout which the tension is palpable. And I could not put it down! And that ending....YES!!!

So do yourself a favour and go out and grab yourself a copy of PLAYING NICE and prepare to run the gauntlet of emotions. Prepare to be shocked. And prepare to stay up all night to finish it. You won't be sorry. Highly recommend!

I would like to thank #JPDelaney, #Netgalley and #QuercusBooks for an ARC of #PlayingNice in exchange for an honest review.

Another twisty and addictive thriller. I would absolutely love to see this on the big or small screen. Excellent!

Nice introduction to JP Delaney with this book. Really enjoyed the writing style and twists of the story

I appear to be in the minority with this book but I have to admit I struggled through it. The only reason I finished it was because I was reading it for a book club reading challenge. The story just didn’t excite me and I was expecting it to be a lot more dramatic. I didn’t like any of the characters and I found it a very slow burn of a read. 2.5⭐️

I have loved the author';s previous books and thankfully this one did not disappoint! It was a great read that kept me engaged throughout!

I absolutely loved this book! The exact type of thriller that kept me guessing the whole way through. The suspense was amazing and all the characters so well written. Love this authors work and will be reading more

This was well written and such an interesting topic a psychologist thriller regarding two premature babies switched at birth. It’s told from the POV of Maddie and Pete as they traverse the many hurdles resulting from the bombshell that two-year-old Theo is not their biological son but instead David who has severe special needs is.

At first, Maddie and Pete are thrilled that Miles and Lucy seem to be so agreeable and accommodating but it’s not long before Miles is crossing boundaries and it becomes apparent that Miles is not quite the charming nice guy he at first appears. Peter and Maddie now find themselves in the fight of their lives. Trying to retaining custody of Theo as Miles throws every dirty trick in the book their way.

So I did enjoy this but it did seem to move quite slowly I also thought that David their biological son very much took a back seat in this story and I would have thought he’d be more central to the narrative. I also thought the wrap up was rushed and I definitely found this anticlimactic especially considering all the build-up things just then fizzled out and that disappointed me slightly.

Still, this was such an intriguing subject and It did manage to keep my interest. I found the second half of this much more gripping than the first which did take a while to build momentum. Overall this was a decent read but it contained few surprises and was fairly predictable. I voluntary reviewed a copy of Playing Nice.

Such a great thriller! It kept me hooked right up until the end. If you have read any of Delaney's previous works you'll love this!

This book had me totally gripped from the start. Although its apparent from early on where the story is going, there's enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

The characterisation is perfect in that you both empathise and get irritated by both of those narrating the story. Both are flawed but you still feel their despair as emotions build while the situation progresses. The character of Miles is very true to life and chilling for anyone with personal experience of psychopathic personalities.

I've enjoyed all of this author's books and look forward to future publications.

I knew this would be amazing as JP Delaney is a master writer but this is officially the best book I have ever read.

I can't really describe how this story will make you feel... but niave is definitely up there... you think you've caught on to something but you're wrong all the way to the end with all the twists and turns

Regardless of what type of novel you like, you must read this.

This book started off slow and I wasn't sure about continuing, but I stuck with it. I'm glad I did, because after the 30-40% mark it really picked up and I ended up enjoying it.

The story was well written, as were the characters, who were very realistically written.

I did think it was more a family drama rather than a psychological thriller. I do admit to despising Miles from the off, especially when he pretty much sounded overbearing and controlling from the moment him and Lucy are introduced to us.

Thank you to NetGalley and PJ Delaney for the chance to read this book.

What happens if two babies are switched at birth? The premise for the story is not unique, but it's how the author handles the fall out that makes this a gripping read and a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing to the end.

Playing Nice by J P Delaney is suspenseful tale about two sets of parents with different lifestyles and parenting techniques. It doesn't take long for me, as a reader, to decide who the good guys are. Expectedly, I end up rooting for them as the plot turns from a domestic thriller into a courtroom drama.

I really enjoyed the way the content was presented. There are alternate short chapters detailing the court case as the plot progresses, which gets concluded as the book itself wraps up. The major revelations are perfectly timed to keep me hooked up.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Verdict: Recommended.

I could not put this down!
What do you do when the child you believe is yours isn't?
I will definitely be looking forward to more from JP Delaney

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the ARC of this book.

This is one of the best thrillers I have ever read. It is both absolutely compelling and excruciatingly painful to read. It is brilliantly written and deftly covers so many sensitive issues. I’m absolutely in awe at the author’s skill in writing something so fast-paced and thought-provoking.

It is the story of Pete and Maddie who discover the two year son they have been raising was swapped in the hospital and their biological son is being raised by another family. The book follows their attempts to have a civil relationship with the other couple and find an arrangement which is best for both children. However, it is not long before things start to go horribly wrong.

I could not put this book down! It was uncomfortably fascinating to imagine yourself in their position and what you would do if you had to choose between the child you have loved for 2 years and your biological child.

Delaney descriptions of the difficult situations which parents find themselves in including emergency C-sections, neo-natal care, postpartum psychosis and dealing with violent children and brilliantly drawn and very realistic. I found so much of the book fascinating and moving.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Go and read it!