Play Nice
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A woman must confront the demons of her past when she attempts to fix up her childhood home in this devilishly clever take on the haunted house novel from the author of Black Sheep and So Thirsty.
Clio Louise Barnes leads a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, but beneath the glossy veneer she harbors a not-so glamorous secret: she grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted. Possessed. After Clio’s parents' messy divorce, her mother, Alex, moved Clio and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon. Or so Alex claimed. That’s not what Clio’s sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped her of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent; she even wrote a book about her experience in the house.
After Alex’s sudden death, the supposedly possessed house passes to Clio and her sisters. Where her sisters see childhood trauma, Clio sees an opportunity for house flipping content. Only, as the home makeover process begins, Clio discovers there might be some truth to her mother’s claims. As memories resurface and Clio finally reads her mother’s book, a sinister presence in the house manifests, revealing ugly truths that threaten to shake Clio’s beautiful life to its very foundation.
- Pages
- 325
- First published
- September 9, 2025
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
More editions
▾
Pick a cover to preview.
Shelved by 9 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished September 19, 2025
*“I think it’s just easier to call someone crazy than it is to admit that they could be right. Easier to call someone crazy than to confront the nuance of their circumstance, than to accept the callous cruelty that exists in the world we live in, the evil out there that revels in our suffering.” * What I loved: ✿ haunted house renovation ✿ unreliable narrator ✿ flawed female lead Once again Rachel surprises me with her ability to merge real life traumas with the paranormal or horrifying, making you question what's scarier: the monster in your closet or the family secrets it uses against you. This is probably my favorite of hers yet. Highly recommend this if you enjoy unreliable horror stories with modern flair and wit. Trigger warnings: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Animal death, Self harm, Blood, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity [✿ Connect with me on instagram ✿](https://www.instagram.com/bookbestie_storm?igsh=aTh6eTZ6dGwxMXpy&utm_source=qr)
Started September 24, 2025 · Finished September 26, 2025
In a sea of 3 star reads this month, I finally found a gem. This was such a great read, my fav from this author thus far. I love a good haunted house story just as much as I love a haunted family and this one really delivered. There was mystery and intrigue, and romance, the perfect combo for a spooky season (or any really) read. 🌶️ 2/5 Really wasnt expecting romance in this but loved that it was weaved in nicely with girl next door vibes.
Started October 20, 2025 · Finished October 21, 2025
