SOLVED. Boy on vacation meets neighbors who turn out to be aliens playing some weird galactic game [s]

[Constance]

I'm desperately trying to remember a light sci-fi book I read years ago about a prepubescent boy who goes on vacation with his parents and inadvertently gets involved in some galactic game with aliens. He gets to know some of the other vacationing neighbors, who turn out to be aliens disguised as humans. I forgot exactly what the premise of the game was, but they had to eliminate each other and get some kind of object, a piggy of some sorts? And I think he finds some old board game that has cards for the different alien types, which he realizes are his creepy neighbors, including an attractive, exotic female who turns out to be some spider-like alien? I also vaguely remember the ending where he's home alone and there is a storm and he's forced to contend with the aliens as they invade his house.

The premise was very video-game like from what I remember, chess pieces that correspond with aliens who have certain types of abilities and can do only so much on their turn and I think the kid also stumbles onto "items" that help him win the game and survive.

[bookel]

Year read? Or first or last half of which decade?

[mdt]

Interstellar Pig by William Sleator.

[Diana]

Seconding Interstellar Pig.

[Constance]

YES THAT'S IT. I love you guys!!!!