One of parents' greatest fears - a baby mix-up - is the story of Playing Nice. It focuses on the two couples, how they attempt to deal with it amicably themselves, how the process and perceptions develop and the strain it brings to their respective relationships.

The writing is a style I like: crisp, tight, to the point, cliche and waffle-free. Easy to read and slip into the story with no side shoots to lead astray. The characters are well rounded, and one of them reminded me so much of someone I know that I could predict how they would respond to certain situations.

Of course, in a situation like this being co-operative only works to a point, and eventually the authorities have to become involved. From the family courts, police and child welfare, all bodies are reflected accurately according to UK law and procedures. Not to mention the frustration that inevitably comes with all of this.

This is not a situation I have been in, thankfully, but it is something I have thought about from time to time and this book hones in on my own fears. It's major theme is reflected in the title and looks at the different ways we are all 'nice' or not.

Great, original read. Looking out for other work by JP Delaney.

I haven’t read a book by J.P Delaney before. This was an absolute treat. Easy to read and totally gripping. Throughly recommend.

I am a big fan of J P Delaney, having read all of their previous books. I am pleased to say this book was just as good as the others, possibly even better because there was more of a chance of this one happening (than the book about the AI wife for example). This book kept me gripped and I read it in two days. I would recommend!

I have read others books by JP delaney and enjoyed them. This was no exception.

A fast paced story about a baby swap. It was easy to read and very gripping.

Really enjoyed

A fast moving psychological thriller about a baby swap. The story kept me hooked til the end. Four stars because some elements of the storytelling were a little unbelievable but otherwise a great read.

Wow I absolutely enjoyed this book, read in one sitting it was that good, the main characters are brilliant, I really felt for Pete Riley and absolutely despised miles Lambert. I just could not put it down. highly recommended.

Although this book kept me reading and I read it quite quickly, this was more to do with that fact that I wanted to find out what happened and not because I particularly liked it.
So someone turns up on your doorstep and says your son is not your son but his and that the babies were swapped at birth. The first thing I would be doing, despite what the other party was saying, was to contact a solicitor and not try to work something out. No way was that legal to get the sippy cup to do a DNA test.
OK, babies have been swapped before but it is rare and most probably only comes to light because of medical reasons as in this case. I don't buy that it would have happened in a NICU instance when there were two babies coming in at the same time from private hospitals.
The ending was also not believable, I felt it was a little too rushed as well after all the build up with the court case. The narrative swapping between Maddie and Pete also started to drag out a bit.
Disappointing as have previously enjoyed this author's books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.

What could be worse than being told that the child you had loved for over two years is not your son, Pete & Maddie are about to find out. When Miles Lambert appears at their door with proof that Theo had been wrongly identified as their son in the hospital, Pete sees his world about to fall apart.However Miles, & Lucy, seem to want to resolve things in a way that is best for Theo, & David. This all changes when it becomes clear that Miles has another plan and he is a man who is used to winning.
A hear wrenching tale which feeds into all parents worst ‘what if...?’ Full of twists and turns which leave you reading on the edge of your seat & dreading turning the page!

A baby swap at a private hospital. You know how that goes. Delaney's latest thriller is not just nail-biting, but informative and inclined more towards a legal drama. There is a psychological aspect to it and honestly, I was surprised despite my usual habit of pictures all possible scary scenarios. 'Playing Nice' reflects the anxiety of a parent towards a child- their own as well as adoptive and borders on manipulation and guilt.

If you haven’t read this book, then what have you read? Oh my freaking God!! The best book by author JP Delaney, he had written some creepy books, this was pure icing on the cake. A story that rocked me the core, the emotions that overtook me, and an end I could never have thought of.

Imagine this scenario – a knock at mid-day, and a man who looked like the grownup version of your child and a reveal that your son is his, and the children had been exchanged at birth.

Stay at home dad Ben’s entire world collapsed at that instant when Miles Lambert announced the truth. The Lamberts were planning to sue the hospital, and they also wanted to get to know their child. Ben and Maddie too needed to know their child David at the Lambert home. A compromise was reached, but there were some shoving truths. The plot evolved quickly when Miles revealed his true character, and the court case became something altogether.

JP Delaney was a master magician who knew how to lead his readers down false passages of complacency. Just when I thought I knew it all, WHAM!! I was hit by a twist. The pages flew as quickly as I mortally could.

Emotions ravaged my insides at the scenes that the author unfurled in front of me. Some of them caused me to gasp, others made me pace the room with anger. Helplessness abounded in me and in the characters. How quickly circumstances changed.

A story that started placidly turned shades and became deeper and darker. At moments, I felt Ben and Maddie were the lambs being led to the slaughter house. But fear not, the author twisted that facet too. Didn’t I say he is a master magician?

A brilliant, suspenseful, emotionally twisted thriller.

JP Delaney's latest book is an exciting and engrossing family drama and psychological thriller combo that probes into the emotional complexities of a dilemma facing a couple in London who discover that their two year old son is not theirs. He was mixed up with their actual biological baby at the hospital. Pete Riley and his partner, Maddie, are bringing up their son, Theo, trying to get him to play nice and interact more, which are problematic areas for Theo. But when Miles Lambert informs them that Theo is actually the son of Miles and his wife Lucy, Pete and Maddie's whole life is upended. Pete and Maddie are determined to keep their family safe, whatever it takes.

Delaney's character driven novel is a compelling read that I revelled in from the very start. The characters are flawed, but are created and developed well by J.P. Delaney, and all have great parts to play within the overall plot, though Miles is particularly deplorable. This rollercoaster story incorporates a titillating cocktail of themes, including secrets, parenting, deception, abuse, mental health concerns, legal issues, and abuse amongst others. With its variety of twists and turns my interest never wavered and I read Playing Nice in one sitting. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Quercus Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Absolutely loved this book! Grabbed my attention from page one! The twists and turns! The heartrending situation of finding your baby was swapped two years on!! At times terrifying! Be prepared to have a free day as it’s impossible to step away from this wonderful book!

Really enjoyed this offering from JP Delaney...a well paced book that keeps ramping up and adding to the intrigue throughout, great page turner! Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy.

I started this book with limited expectations. The idea of this happening to anyone is awful, I have been through family courts to adopt my daughter and the accuracy of how many people get involved and how they make decisions on your life and ability to parent in a very short space of time has been covered excellently on this book.

The characters are well written and Miles is a character that you can really dislike. I was impressed with this book and that is why I have given it the 5 stars.

5 🌟 This is my 2nd book by JP delaney. I liked the girl before but I loved this one! Such a fascinating story that had me absolutely hooked from begging to end and desperate to know what was going to happen! The twists toward the end and the final conclusion are very well written resulting in a satisfying end - although I’m gutted it’s over! 🤣
The questions that arise about nature v nurture I found so interesting and while on the surface this is a story about babies swapped at birth it’s so much more! Delighted to have received an advance copy for this - thanks netgalley, Quercus and JP delaney

Amazing 2020 just keeps giving.

I really enjoyed this book and read in 24 hours - it was that good .

The main characters are brilliant .I really felt for Pete and his wife and absolutely despised the other family Miles Lambert .

It haunted me to what lengths i would protect my children also.

I just could not put it down ,highly recommended with some twists and turns towards the end.

I'm sure you wont be disappointed in this thriller,

Many thanks to JP Delaney the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
This is my second JP Delaney and I have to agree with a lot of other reviewers his plots are very original. In the acknowledgement he says that in Victorian times stories about swapped babies were quite common but it’s the first book with this subject matter that I’ve read and I loved it.
It’s a book you won’t want to put down for long and best of all it’s one that has you constantly trying to find a way out for the ‘victims’. It’s also a story that you can’t see a way out for the goodies either.
Incidentally I didn’t understand the authors other comments in the acknowledgements about the current political situation being a strong influence in the book and would love to know what exactly he meant

Usually genre is a first line step in choosing a book to read, partly because it defines the way a story will unfold and creates an expectation in the mind of the reader. “Playing Nice” is a challenge in this respect. It has to be considered as a Psychological Thriller because it involves the main protagonists being subjected to increasing pressure on their life, their beliefs, their personal images but not in a classical way.
Two babies were born prematurely and rushed to Neonatal Intensive Care. At some point early on their tags were wrongly attached and so they ended up with the wrong parents. Two years later Miles, the father of one of the children, discovers from a DNA test that he has the wrong child, and approaches the other family. Initially the two households agree to maintain the status quo but to keep in close touch so that they are part of each child’s life. But Miles is a Psychopath and initiates a legal process to ‘recover’ his son. The rest of the story describes the near disintegration of the other family as the legal system, social workers, the Children’s Court system, and the police, are exploited and weaponised against them. The process is insidious and relentless and the reader is drawn into this apparently hopeless, but totally ‘by the book’ erosion.
The conclusion is logical but surprising (I didn’t guess it) and ultimately totally satisfactory.
I thank Net Galley, the author and the Publishers for supplying me with a prepublication copy for the purpose of review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This was a good book! Very emotional. You will get sad at times, while your blood will boil at other parts! Having a preemie myself, this brought back some memories, however nothing near as scary as this book talks about. This book did a great job of displaying different mental health and personality disorders. A little bit of everything in this book! Great suspense!

You always know it’s going to be a cracker of a book when the author is JP Delaney and this book is no exception.

It all starts as an ordinary day. Pete, a stay at home Dad, drops his two year old son, Theo, at nursery and then it’s back to the family home. But a knock at the door throws his world upside down.

Suddenly Pete and his wife, Maddie, are thrown into a world where their son Theo, is actually not their biological son. It appears as though two babies were switched at birth and Theo is Miles & Lucy Lambert’s baby, whilst Daniel, who is living with the Lambert’s is actually Pete and Maddie’s biological son.

How were the babies switched ? What happens now ? We follow Pete and Maddie’s journey to discover the truth !!

This is a fantastic book that you just won’t want to put down. You will find yourself shouting out loud asking why did you do that ? Then the next minute you will feel utter despair for the couple. Do yourself a favour and add this to the very top of your TBR pile, you won’t regret it !!

Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.