On the strength of having read The Girl Before,I requested Playing Nice.
I made a good choice. It's a twisty, creepy thriller with lots of turns I didn't see coming( and I read a lot of psychological novels in which the twists are telegraphed).
I enjoy books where I can relay on the author to come up with an original premise, not relying on a familiar format, which I can appreciate some readers like the certain knowledge of what's coming. It's comforting and predictable. However, I like variety and can rely on the author giving me something fresh, a new take on a well worn subject. J P Delaney has done so with this novel. Highly recommended.

Playing Nice is the second book I’ve read by this author and like the last this doesn’t disappoint.
Pete and Maddie are parents to Theo, Pete is full time dad while Maddie has returned to work. Theo was premature and has had some difficulties at the beginning but is making headway slowly. Pete opens the door one day to Miles a man who is claiming that Theo is his. My first thought was that Maddie had been having an affair with Miles but no I was wrong. Miles is claiming their babies have been switched and after probing through a DNA test this proves to be correct. This book follows their journeys as they get caught up in systems and Pete and Maddies struggles to do what’s best whilst having very limited funds from solicitors etc whilst Miles and his wife Lucy and more than comfortably well off.
This was an interesting read and am glad it’s not happened to me!!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book a little slow burner to start, but about a quarter of the way through I was hooked, highly recommend

Another addictive page-turner from J. P. Delaney!

This was such a great book! Cleverly written, Maddie and Pete's accounts are interspersed with trial evidence accounts that had me hooked! The court evidence casts doubt over the accounts given by the lead characters and we learn that both Maddie and Pete have their own secrets and issues they'd rather not admit to. An unimaginably difficult situation has seemingly escalated to the point of a trial but we don't know just how sinister events have turned.

Playing Nice is completely unpredictable and I had no clue how it could possibly be resolved. There was plenty of twists along the way and the character development was really clever.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. It's addictive, absorbing, unpredictable and very enjoyable! J. P. Delaney is an extremely talented writer and I'd recommend his books to everyone who will listen...I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley, J. P. Delaney and Quercus Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You cannot go wrong with a J P Delaney book and this new one did not disappoint.

I was gripped from the start with a fast paced plausible plot about babies being swopped at birth. I didn't see the twists coming, found the characters believable and the writing to the point. No room for waffle! Like all Delaney books you won't want to put it down until you have finished.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This started out with an interesting dilemma at its heart that leaves the reader asking themselves what they would do in the same situation. As the story develops and the plot becomes more sinister, the book becomes highly absorbing and I couldn’t put it down. But in the last quarter of the book, for me, the wheels fell off a bit. It felt like the author couldn’t decide which plot developments were best so just threw them all in. As a result the story lost plausibility and the central characters who had been so carefully shaped began to lose their essence. It was wrapped up very conveniently too where I think the author could have left a cliffhanger.

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.