Playing Nice

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Both parties seem like appeased with the solution but wait for it! We have a real psychopath in this equation and a psychopath gets furious when he doesn’t get his way and things get uglier. Could Nate and Maddie resume playing nice around them for their son’s sake? Did they put themselves in danger at the very same day they accepted Lamberts in their lives? Pete Riley answers the door one morning to a parent's worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, who breaks the devastating news that Pete's two-year-old, Theo, isn't Pete's real son - their babies got mixed up at birth. This means I’m addictive to this author’s books and I keep going blind and devouring them without thinking a second! 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.

Pete and Maggie Riley have a 2 year old son Theo, they’re having a few problems right now with his behaviour, he’s very naughty at home, and doesn’t want to play nice with the other kids at nursery, he resorts to hitting and biting them to get his own way, and there have been complaints from other parents about him - so much so, that he’s in danger of being asked to leave the nursery altogether, but do Pete and Maggie love him? Of course they do! Would they give their life for him? Absolutely! Told with an open eye towards the various stages of psychopathy, this book delved into an area we often find fascinating as some professionals say that one out of every four people is a psychopath or has psychopathic tendencies. Certainly this character study of the protagonists, particularly the men was fascinating and will keep you riveted to the story. I definitely recommend this one for it provides an engrossing read and one that certainly will divert you from the craziness of today's world. To make matters more complicated, one family is wealthy while the other is not. One family has a healthy child, while the other child has significant developmental delays. Parenting styles are different and the age old question of nature vs nurture is explored. The characters are well-developed and I found myself questioning everyone. Who to trust when everyone involved is harboring secrets? Wow, what a horrible thing to happen to a family, to two families! Two years after Maggie and Pete have the agonizing time of their son Theo being born months early, and all the heartbreak that goes with such a tiny premature baby, a man enters their life and tells them that Theo is his son, that their babies were accidentally switched not long after they were born and sent to the ICU for babies. Miles and Lucy, who have baby David, have had him DNA tested so they are positive he is not their son. Miles has also secretly had Theo tested and they know that Theo is their son. Miles claims that they want to work with Maggie and Pete, to not disrupt the life of either boy, but allow both sets of parents to play a role in each boy's life.When it comes to ordinary families faced with terrifying dilemmas,there is no one better than JP Delaney.He is King of Thrillers, and Playing Niceis his best book yet. His chilling, compelling and oh-so-real books force us to confront our darkest fears—and question how far we would go to protect those we love.. . . Brilliant.” —Fiona Cummins,author of Rattle while listening to this book - during a depressing walk-later during a pool soak ( less depressing - but still creepy as can be outside)....about switched births-

As the tale continues, we see the four characters play out one against the other and as we delve more into their personalities we find very troubling details that threaten the very being of both the children and the couples involved.Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for sharing this fantastic ARC in exchange my honest review. I enjoyed that we had Maddie and Pete's POV, but not Miles and Lucy's, the other couple involved, as it added tension, and made me question everything! There was also evidence from court, which added to the story.

And then there is the ending, which felt very drawn out and even more unrealistic in how it was solved and resolved. I thought it would end at the court case, and then something else happens and the cops were never called which is like step 1 for all white people in upsetting situations, the cause of the switch made absolutely no sense, and then there's a way too neat resolution to the whole thing. These circumstances are hard to imagine and yet they have happened in real life! This thrilling suspense terrified me and also really got me thinking. What I truly appreciated is that this storyline provided lots of discussion between my book buddy Kaceey and I. While I enjoyed the novel admittedly, I found it to be a bit far fetched which is the sole reason for the lower rating. That said, on the whole I enjoyed this mystery/suspense and would recommend this tense read to everyone looking for a captivating thriller. 3.5 Stars.Marialyce and I were looking for an engaging read while we are sheltering-in-place and this provided a much welcomed escape!