Playing Nice – J P Delaney

What if you found out that your family isn’t yours at all? How far would you go to protect them? A gripping new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Girl Before. . . .

Pete Riley answers the door one morning and lets in a parent’s worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, a stranger who breaks the devastating news that Pete’s son, Theo, isn’t actually his son–he is the Lamberts’, switched at birth by an understaffed hospital while their real son was sent home with Miles and his wife, Lucy. For Pete, his partner Maddie, and the little boy they’ve been raising for the past two years, life will never be the same again.

The two families, reeling from the shock, take comfort in shared good intentions, eagerly entwining their very different lives in the hope of becoming one unconventional modern family. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an official investigation that unearths some disturbing questions about the night their children were switched. How much can they trust the other parents–or even each other? What secrets are hidden behind the Lamberts’ glossy front door? Stretched to the breaking point, Pete and Maddie discover they will each stop at nothing to keep their family safe.

They are done playing nice.

Book info: 417 pages. Publisher: Quercus. Publication date: 28 July 2020

My Thoughts:

One of my many strange book habits is that I absolutely categorically can NOT read a book after I’ve watched the TV/Film version. When I saw James Norton was starring in this TV adaptation, I had to move this book to the top of my TBR pile.

I knew from the TV trailers roughly what this was about. My compulsive book buying addiction reminded me I had bought it back in January 2021, so it was definitely time to read it.

Playing Nice by JP Delaney is my first exploration into the devious and dark mind of this author. OMG, this was intense!

This is a book that basically breaks the heart of any parent. A dotting dad finds out that his adorable and adored 2 year old son Theo is not his biological son. Somehow there was a mix up at the hospital. This resulted in another couple, Miles and Lucy Lambert, raising Pete and Maddie’s biological son.

The two families couldn’t be more different. Pete and Maddy live in a modest house. She works full-time. Pete gave up his career as a journalist to be a stay-at-home parent to young Theo. Miles and Lucy are extremely wealthy, live in a mansion with a full time nanny for young David. The families agree swapping the boys back could harm their children. They try to find a more agreeable approach to this unimaginable situation.

However, things start to take a sinister turn and soon Pete and Maddy are fighting for their lives and trying to keep their family together.

I’m not saying anymore, except this is FANTASTIC. So many twists and turns. Such tension and drama. Secrets, lies, guilt and shocks galore. Fans of psychological thrillers will ADORE this book AND, in my opinion, the TV is excellent too.. although I have to say “the book is better”.

Rating: 5 out of 5.