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TRADING PLACES. [Hardcover]
Bestselling author Fern Michaels creates breathtaking excitement with this page-turning novel of twin sisters who pull off a daring identity switch that lands them in the middle of love and danger.
Atlanta police detective Aggie Jade is still recovering from the raid that took the life of her partner and former boyfriend -- and nearly killed her and her beloved K-9. She's not ready to hit the streets again, but she's desperate to hunt down the cop killers who shattered her world. That's when she asks her identical twin sister to trade places with her....
Lizzie Jade is as flashy and fiery as Aggie is quiet and conservative -- and the high-rolling Vegas gambler loves a challenge: turning in her stiletto heels for a badge is the perfect role for Aggie's "wild card" sister. But the gutsy charade gets complicated when sexy investigative reporter Nathan Hawke senses something bold and new about "Aggie," who no longer shies away from his flirtations. As Lizzie and Nathan join forces to uncover a web of lies and corruption, Lizzie finds herself giving in to his charms. But how can she confess that she's not who he thinks she is? And how can she let herself fall in love when she and her twin might have to run for their lives?
282 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
321 people are currently reading
1103 people want to read
About the author
Fern Michaels
427 books6,546 followersFern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
June 12, 2014
I didn't quite read it. I moaned through 200 pages as a friend had adored it and loaned it to me like it was her family jewels as she wanted to read it again, it was soooo good.
I persisted, until whimpering, I laid, well threw, it down. I couldn't suffer anymore. I'd had it. I still don't know what to tell friend.
(1) The characters speak in well structured paragraphs or entire pages, without hesitation or breath.
(2) The marine biology degrees of main character dragged out time and time again without reason
(3) Main character's "heart flutters" when romantic interest speaks to her even though she's boinked him already.
(4) Main character informs romantic interest that "Las Vegas is a desert". As if he's one brick shy of a load.
(5) "Her hot sauce was now cold". ????
(6) After full pages of dialogue exchange (without breath) between them she informs her romantic interest "we need to talk, Nathan".
(7) They "quip" at each other. Puh-leese. Stop it now.
(8) "Read my lips" Aggie/Lizzie says over and over again.
If that was all I had to read, Aggie/Lizzie, my hell would have been over much, much sooner.
Appalling drek. Avoid.
I persisted, until whimpering, I laid, well threw, it down. I couldn't suffer anymore. I'd had it. I still don't know what to tell friend.
(1) The characters speak in well structured paragraphs or entire pages, without hesitation or breath.
(2) The marine biology degrees of main character dragged out time and time again without reason
(3) Main character's "heart flutters" when romantic interest speaks to her even though she's boinked him already.
(4) Main character informs romantic interest that "Las Vegas is a desert". As if he's one brick shy of a load.
(5) "Her hot sauce was now cold". ????
(6) After full pages of dialogue exchange (without breath) between them she informs her romantic interest "we need to talk, Nathan".
(7) They "quip" at each other. Puh-leese. Stop it now.
(8) "Read my lips" Aggie/Lizzie says over and over again.
If that was all I had to read, Aggie/Lizzie, my hell would have been over much, much sooner.
Appalling drek. Avoid.
January 10, 2019
A bit American chic-lit trashy but nevertheless enjoyable. All the good guys are stunningly good looking and rich and the baddies ugly. The dogs were good.
January 20, 2020
Excitingly intriguing
This book was very hard to put down and much of my work was neglected until I finished this very entertaining book
This book was very hard to put down and much of my work was neglected until I finished this very entertaining book
February 18, 2021
2 cops get in the wrong place. One dies and the other with her dog, have to recover. Then it gets really interesting. Worth the read.
September 2, 2025
Took me a month to read it cuz it wasn’t a page turner at all. Once I was like 25% in I decided I was gonna try and finish it and see what happens.
It was unrealistic all the way through.. it had soooo many run on sentences. Sometimes it didn’t say who just spoke so I’d have to guess which of the characters responded. There was very little breaks when they’re speaking. Someone will speak for a long time and then randomly speak about what’s going on around them as opposed to the author explaining the details around them. She just had the characters point out random surroundings.
No spoilers about the ending.. just wasn’t that interesting of an ending in my opinion.
Definitely wasn’t worth the time to read. I kept telling my family “going to read my boring book now” 😂 sometimes we readers gotta push through hoping to get pulled into the story. Sadly this did not happen for me. I’m relieved it’s over. I did it!! I got through to the end! Haha
It was unrealistic all the way through.. it had soooo many run on sentences. Sometimes it didn’t say who just spoke so I’d have to guess which of the characters responded. There was very little breaks when they’re speaking. Someone will speak for a long time and then randomly speak about what’s going on around them as opposed to the author explaining the details around them. She just had the characters point out random surroundings.
No spoilers about the ending.. just wasn’t that interesting of an ending in my opinion.
Definitely wasn’t worth the time to read. I kept telling my family “going to read my boring book now” 😂 sometimes we readers gotta push through hoping to get pulled into the story. Sadly this did not happen for me. I’m relieved it’s over. I did it!! I got through to the end! Haha
September 27, 2010
Trading Places (fern Michaels)
Aggie and Lizzie Jade are "mirror twins". They look the same but have opposite personalities. Aggie, quiet and reserved is a police officer living in Atlanta. Lizzie is an outgoing, strong willed professional gambler, Living in Las Vegas.
After a near death shooting, leaving Aggie's partner dead and K-9 shot, Aggie is seriously wounded. She decides it is time for some rest, relaxation, and grow some organic vegetables. She calls upon her sister Lizzie for help. After all they are twins, and used to pull this off all the time. They decide to trade places, and soon Lizzie becomes Aggie.
Both sisters are convinced this is an inside job, and every police officer is suspect. What they uncover leaves the sisters with little choice. Fast paced, with a bit of romance, I found trading places to be a fun read.
Aggie and Lizzie Jade are "mirror twins". They look the same but have opposite personalities. Aggie, quiet and reserved is a police officer living in Atlanta. Lizzie is an outgoing, strong willed professional gambler, Living in Las Vegas.
After a near death shooting, leaving Aggie's partner dead and K-9 shot, Aggie is seriously wounded. She decides it is time for some rest, relaxation, and grow some organic vegetables. She calls upon her sister Lizzie for help. After all they are twins, and used to pull this off all the time. They decide to trade places, and soon Lizzie becomes Aggie.
Both sisters are convinced this is an inside job, and every police officer is suspect. What they uncover leaves the sisters with little choice. Fast paced, with a bit of romance, I found trading places to be a fun read.
October 25, 2018
I read this book originally back in 2005. I remember that I was really sick with the flu, and I loved Trading Places so much that I wrote the author and told her how amazing it was. 13 years later, in the cold light of perfect health (particularly not having a head muzzy with fever), a re-read has me cringing at my previous glowing praise. The plot, while implausible, was certainly intriguing and had potential...but the execution (and writing), ouch! I'm going to be generous and give it 2 stars though, because 13 years ago, it made a really unbearable flu, barely noticeable for a little while.
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June 16, 2016Great Read..
July 2, 2021
Loved it. Awesome twists and was a page turner.
June 18, 2023
Great book! The storyline was good, I liked all the main characters. I stayed up late to finish this, which isn't something I do often. I would give it a 3.5 if that was an option but gave it a 4 because I enjoyed it so much. The reason for the lower rating is that I thought some of the dialog was rather stunted, and the phone call conversations were awful! Instead of having both characters talk, the caller talked and repeated whatever the other end of the line was saying. Who does that??? Anyway, regardless of that, it was a great book with fun and action. I would definitely recommend it!!
June 28, 2023
Aggie and Lizzie are twins. When police cop Aggie and her k9 companion Gus are shot and her partner murdered, Aggie has months of recovery and no one seems able to solve her partner's murder. Knowing she is not healthy enough to solve the crime herself, Aggie calls on identical twin Lizzie to come take her place. They may look alike, but each woman is unique and different and Lizzie brings some great skills and resources with her that help her sort out who is who in the world of corrupt cops. The situation is serious but there is still lots of humour and yes, some romance too. This was a fun book.
February 17, 2025
More than any thing this book is nostalgic for me. I read this when I was pregnant with my daughter in 2003 and loved it so much I never forgot about it. I didn’t enjoy reading much when I was younger unless it was a basic bitch thriller, but this book was special to me. My great grandmother was visiting and she gave it to me to read when she finished it. So, I love this book for so many reasons other than the writing and the plot. Speaking of writing, hella typos in respect to character’s names. The wrong name is input multiple times, Lizzie spelled “Lizzy” at one point, etc, but I will never not love this book.
June 11, 2023
I am amazed by the reviews I've read on Goodreads for this book. In my opinion Trading Places is a five star read. This is my second time reading it and I enjoyed it both times. Fern Michaels manages to use twists and turns and bring them all together in a story about twins who trade places. Aggie Jade knows that she is working with some dirty cops in Atlanta and she needs her identical sister, Lizzie, to help her prove it. There is corruption, danger, romance, faithful dogs, and secrets. What more could a reader ask for?
October 26, 2025
What a great idea for a book! However, too many holes in this story.
First, the main characters are twins who are constantly in contact with each other. However! When one, who is a cop, gets shot and is in the hospital for months, she never tells her sister!!! That doesn't work in real life.
Second, if you are going to write a story about a city, get the names of the places correct. I'm from Atlanta, and I know that Phipps Mall is the wrong name! It's Phipps Plaza!
Parameter Mall is Perimeter Mall!!!! These details are important in a story!
Also, one of the first rules in writing is SHOW DON'T TELL. All this author did was tell that they were putting the seat belt on, then getting their phone, before driving off. Bad writing
First, the main characters are twins who are constantly in contact with each other. However! When one, who is a cop, gets shot and is in the hospital for months, she never tells her sister!!! That doesn't work in real life.
Second, if you are going to write a story about a city, get the names of the places correct. I'm from Atlanta, and I know that Phipps Mall is the wrong name! It's Phipps Plaza!
Parameter Mall is Perimeter Mall!!!! These details are important in a story!
Also, one of the first rules in writing is SHOW DON'T TELL. All this author did was tell that they were putting the seat belt on, then getting their phone, before driving off. Bad writing
September 14, 2018
How do you describe perfection?
Fern Michaels is one of only a handful of authors that, when I pick up on of her books, I can’t put it down! This one is no exception. I love how she takes impossible situations and makes them work. Her Sisterhood series was the same way. She somehow has the heroines breaking the law and you are compelled to cheer them on until the end. Thank you, Ms Michaels, for another wonderfully fun read.
Fern Michaels is one of only a handful of authors that, when I pick up on of her books, I can’t put it down! This one is no exception. I love how she takes impossible situations and makes them work. Her Sisterhood series was the same way. She somehow has the heroines breaking the law and you are compelled to cheer them on until the end. Thank you, Ms Michaels, for another wonderfully fun read.
August 16, 2019
Overall, the storyline was phenomenal! I love when romance and criminal justice can combine into the perfect story. It was super easy to read and flowed smoothly. My only complaint is that there were quite a few grammatical errors that made me stop and have to reread several sections to figure out what the author was trying to portray.
HOWEVER, I would highly recommend this book if you love a good mystery/crime/romance novel!
HOWEVER, I would highly recommend this book if you love a good mystery/crime/romance novel!
May 26, 2024
The premise was soooo far-fetched! An identical twin taking the place of her sister as a detective and walking into the station just knowing what to do, and getting a K9 dog who automatically is attached to you and does everything you say from the first day of getting it. Also, what's with growing organic carrots while your twin is in danger because of you. Weird, not worth the read.
June 2, 2024
This book isn’t well written. The dialogues are not such, but a succession of monologues. There are things rather unbelievable. But the image of the guys who fall in love with each one of the twin sisters, the development of their mutual relationship is so nice. And the friends from Las Vegas made laugh aloud so many times that I gave this work a third star.
October 11, 2025
Sisters
Fern Michaels does it once again. This story about crooked cops and sisterly love is a book worth reading. The whole time the sisters are in sink with each other and believe they are doing the right thing to correct the wrong of the crooked cops. Hops you enjoy the book as much as I did.
Fern Michaels does it once again. This story about crooked cops and sisterly love is a book worth reading. The whole time the sisters are in sink with each other and believe they are doing the right thing to correct the wrong of the crooked cops. Hops you enjoy the book as much as I did.
March 2, 2025
Great book
As usual Fern Michaels has another front runner novel. She never disappoints. This book held my interest well into the night wondering what was going to happen next. Loved the suspense and and the relationship between the characters .
As usual Fern Michaels has another front runner novel. She never disappoints. This book held my interest well into the night wondering what was going to happen next. Loved the suspense and and the relationship between the characters .
June 9, 2025
Trading P!aces
What a great story from a great author. I love everything of hers I've ever read. Identical twins with opposite desires that will do anything for each other find the love of their lives and a great future.
What a great story from a great author. I love everything of hers I've ever read. Identical twins with opposite desires that will do anything for each other find the love of their lives and a great future.
October 31, 2025
Trading Places
Excellent read!! it had so many twist an turns in it to keep you wanting to know what would happen next. It is sad that there are bad law enforcement officers but I guess there is good and bad everywhere you go.
Excellent read!! it had so many twist an turns in it to keep you wanting to know what would happen next. It is sad that there are bad law enforcement officers but I guess there is good and bad everywhere you go.
January 17, 2018
Although readable there were unrealistic scenarios in the plot and errors with mixing up characters names.
August 23, 2018
Loved the corruption in this story. Was entertaining to read.
February 15, 2019
An easy read but enjoyable
March 8, 2020
Great story, lots of suspense. Enjoyed it.
August 23, 2020
Always do the right thing!!
September 5, 2020
This is a a fantastic book, by Fern Michaels. I’m sorry to see this story end. There’s lots of fun and action in the story. The characters are interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I wish it was a series. Thanks, Fern Michaels!
September 22, 2020
Another great story by fern michaels
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews