Rachel Harrison’s Play Nice is an emotionally resonant haunted house novel that delves into the complexities of family trauma, memory, and the supernatural. Set against the backdrop of a seemingly idyllic life, the story follows Clio Louise Barnes, a successful stylist and influencer who inherits her childhood home—a place her late other, Alex, once claimed was possessed by a demon. As Clio embarks on a home renovation project, she confronts unsettling truths about her past and the sinister forces that may still linger within the house. There are moments that feel familiar which helped make this read enjoyable for me. I have become a fan of Rachel Harrison with her last few books and this one did not disappoint..

Rachel Harrison is a well known voice in horror writing from a millennial & feminist point of view, and Play Nice is her latest release. I thoroughly enjoyed the premise and themes! I found a few plot points a bit abstract, but I feel like that is due to reading an ARC. Fans of Harrison and lighter horror will very much enjoy.

Another banger from Rachel Harrison! Demons terrify me, even the somewhat benign demons. Not that the demon possessing Clio and her family’s home is benign. Just not in the possessing and murderous way. More in the I will attach myself to you and prey on your fears and weaknesses way. The demon favors young Clio but also torments her mother, Alexandra. After her mother’s death, Clio and her sisters deal with the trauma of what to do with the house as the demon awakens and begins to regain power from Clio’s presence in the home. There is a lot to unpack in this book. Creepy, intense, and family drama for days!

When Clio’s mother dies, she is the only one in her family to go to the funeral. She and her sisters grew up with their dad after her mother had a breakdown. Then she wrote a bestseller claiming their house was haunted by a demon…. Clio and her sisters broke contact. But at the funeral Clio finds out her mom never sold the house and the siblings now owned it. Determined to renovate it, Clio begins to realize that maybe her mother wasn’t crazy after all.
Another great read by Rachel Harrison! Thanks Netgalley for the ARC- my opinions are my own.

Rachel Harrison always creates atmosphere that creates tension and atmosphere. It's just a house! (It's never just a house.) The warring family dynamics rang true for me. I enjoyed reading this.

The ending was a bit of a let down, in my opinion. I had to go back and re-read the last few pages because...that was it?

Despite that Harrison always will be an instant read for me!

Any time I see a new Rachel Harrison book, my heart skips a beat and I know I'm in for a treat. In my mind, she can do no wrong. This one, like all others, is full of genuinely funny moments; familial drama/trauma; and characters who are considerably younger than I am, yet are still entirely relatable. This novel centers on the lies our families tell, the secrets they keep, and repercussions of both. Harrison's writing is smart, and although I get incredibly excited to begin one of her books, I'm also sad knowing that the book will come to an end. There's no question that I'll be recommending this book (you know, or shouting about it from the mountaintops), and will always and forever be a fan of Rachel Harrison's books.

Playing Nice is Definitely Not the Theme of the Book!
I requested a review copy through BookBrowse, as the plot synopsis sounded interesting to me. As always, I will avoid simple plot summaries and let you know what I liked and what I didn't.

First, this isn't my first Rachel Harrison book, so I knew that the fantastical would be blended with the mundane. A reader has to be prepared for a roller coaster through the supernatural to enjoy this book.

What I liked: the dissolution of Clio as she encountered the house and what was lurking inside; the story within a story; Clio's isolation as she dealt with the things no one else in her family wanted to remember.

What I disliked: the ending made me lose all respect for the family; the book ran long at times, especially during interactions with Clio's family and the story within a story.

Overall, a solid 4 out of 5.

Although I really enjoyed this book, I found the structure/plot somewhat similar to Black Sheep, which was another great book by Rachel Harrison. I really enjoyed the interrelation of grief, trauma, and the supernatural! I found it difficult to like the main character, which I actually really enjoy in a novel. I love it when a main character is somewhat unlikeable, it adds nuance and interest to the story. I found the ending to be fairly predictable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing at all. I look forward to reading future works by Harrison!

This was a fun but disturbing read. I love Rachel’s books but this seemed very different from her other books—much more intense. Overall a great haunted house story with lessons on grief.

Ok, wow. Normally, I know going into a Rachel Harrison book that I’m going to have a good time but Play Nice was different. Now, don’t get me wrong, I had a great time with this book, I ate it up and ended up finishing it in less than 24 hours but I feel like it was much more intense than the other books I’ve read by her. Grief is a big part of this book and the way it’s written is so real and raw, I feel like it added SO much to the experience. We’re not only dealing with a possible haunted house but also the haunting of the past.

Honestly, I loved this so much and it’s my new favorite Rachel Harrison book. Definitely will be preordering so I can have a finished copy on my shelves.

Such a fun, disturbing read. I tore through this. Rachel Harrison's writing is so fresh and fun, while still retaining a creepy and unsettling tone. This was my favorite of her books that I have read and I would strongly recommend to anyone looking for a horror romp!

Rachel Harrison does it again—Play Nice is a haunting, clever, and wickedly emotional ride through memory, trauma, and the monsters we pretend aren’t real. This isn’t just a haunted house story—it’s a reckoning, both supernatural and painfully human. Clio is the kind of flawed, sharp, and layered main character I live for. Her voice is cutting and funny one moment, then heartbreakingly vulnerable the next, and watching her unravel—emotionally and paranormally—was pure horror-lit bliss.

The interplay between the sisters, their estranged mother’s eerie legacy, and that damn house was expertly done. The book-within-a-book passages had me flipping pages like a demon was chasing me. And maybe it was. There’s something deeply unsettling lurking beneath the home renovation content and Instagram-filtered reality, and Harrison peels it back with precision. Creepy, cathartic, and beautifully unhinged—this was one of my favorite horror reads this year. Honestly, Rachel Harrison could write a grocery list and I’d preorder it.

This is such a fun, yet thoughtful book that explores trauma and grief. I found myself shaken by it more than I expected because her writing style is really quick and effervescent.

I’m always excited for a new Rachel Harrison book and while PLAY NICE was not my favorite of hers, I really enjoyed the ride! Clio’s character was quite fun to follow! There seemed to be some formatting issues with the ebook— mom/demon annotations popping up in odd spots.

Five incredible stars!! Omg this was amazing.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Will provide my full review closer to pub date per Berkley review guidelines.

Another @rachelharrisonsghost book that I’m obsessed with. Few things I love more than a good haunted house story, and this delivered. It was creepy, Clio was an amazing FMC she was witty but my heart also felt for her. The complicated relationship between the sisters and the mom had me completely sucked into the book within a book passages. What was real? What wasn’t? I ate this book up and you will to!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review. PUB Date: 9/9

Another spine-chilling and jaw-droppingly good novel from an author who is quickly earning her spot as the queen of horror in my book. Play Nice is a fabulously written story about parental trauma and overcoming the demons that try to tear you down. This is the kind of novel that you won't want to read alone in the dark. I was constantly kept on my toes and found myself looking over my shoulder from the creepiness oozing from the pages. Despite knowing that Clio and her family are only characters Ms. Harrison's skillful writing had me feeling angry and frustrated on the MCs behalf multiple times. A demonic masterpiece that is a perfect read coming out just in time for the Halloween season!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed this, but had a hard time figuring out what angle it wanted to lean into. It was a tricky blend of trauma and horror, which I think was done well, but was hard! I wanted more focus on the resolution, but then again, maybe things not being tied up in a bow is the whole point! The topic and relationships really struck a nerve/cord, so I think this one will sit with me for a while.

Reading a Rachel Harrison book is like catching up with my childhood best friend I see once a year. I was so thrilled to get this ARC that I simply devoured this book in one sitting. And by devoured this book, it devoured me. I was a woman possessed, trying to read with lightning quickness but also trying to make it last (not unlike one’s first time with their high school boyfriend).

Her writing is snarky, clever, sparkling and everything I want to be. She has a way of writing characters and stories that you never want to leave, no matter how terrifying they might be. I see myself in her characters, my friends and family. She’s so relatable yet so unimaginably talented.

This book exceeded all of my expectations; I’m writing this like I’m writing a manifesto. It has three perfect things: it was written by Rachel Harrison, it had a book within a book, and it centered around a haunted house.

Play Nice is her best book yet. Exploring family trauma, grief, emotional brutality, this book makes you question whether or not you should revisit childhood trauma and the grip our family can have on us. Something everyone can relate to whether or not their childhood home was haunted by a demon.

I loved it with a cherry on top

A huge thank you to Rachel Harrison, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC!

PLAY NICE is Rachel Harrison’s scariest book yet, and I’ve read and loved them all. There are two specific terrifying scenes in this book that will be burned into my brain forever (complimentary!!) I love a sisters story! I love the combination of horror from a demon house mixed with the horror of beginning to see your parents as complicated humans. This book was really something special to me as someone who grew up with a rough childhood very similar to the one in the book, minus the actual demon. Thank you Rachel Harrison for the yearly dose of horror that is uniquely dread-inducing, blood chilling, yet somehow still cozy! I couldn’t have loved it more.