“We are All Guilty Here” is in many ways typical Karin Slaughter—which is meant as a complement. Slaughter’s novels always have tight, tense, well-plotted stories. She’s one of the best writers around now in terms of edge-of-your-seat plotting. Her writing is always crisp, clear, and direct—no side trips through flowery descriptive passages unless they are needed in the plot. This book is like that too. And, in this, as with all her books that I’ve read, the characters are sharply drawn, compelling, and believable. The police procedural aspects in this—as in her other books—seem authentic.

The story needs a trigger warning—but don’t all of her books as she’s known for violence as well as her characters and stories? Here, be forewarned that the violence is horrific and directed at teen girls. The main character—Emmy Lou Clifton, first a deputy/detective, then chief deputy, then sheriff—quotes statistics about the number of abducted, abused, raped, and murdered children in the UA and overwhelmingly the victims are female. While Slaughter does not rub her readers’ nose in prolonged, overly graphic violence, it’s there in this book and it is disturbing. Slaughter does not put the reader in the midst of it, thank goodness, but takes a step back and has law enforcement reveal the extent of the torture, abuse, and damage to the victims through their investigations. And that is horrifying enough.

The novel is also a bit disjointed in ways I’ve never seen in her prior books. Part of that is the structure—the first half concerns the kidnapping of two best friend teen girls. The second part is 12 years later and concerns, among other things, the kidnapping of yet another girl in a way similar to the prior crime. Given the dual timeline, some jarring transitions can be expected, but several times important back story info is dropped in almost as if Slaughter thought—oh, yeah, I forgot to mention…

Yet, this is an excellent book, thoughtfully plotted and surely intended to also educate readers about the lurking dangers for children and teens. What exactly can be done to fix the dangers is beyond this review and reviewer—but if I had children or teens, I’d certainly have them taking self-defense classes and learning some form of martial arts.

I thank Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy of this haunting book. These are my honest opinions and observations about this book.

What a story!!!!! It came off as a police procedural book and became so much more when I read it. This book brought all the emotions front and center and I even had to release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding (haha). No, seriously this is one my favorite books now and suggest if you like small town drama mystery you will LOVE this book! Did not see that ending coming.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for an early release! Will be buying for my family!

I was riveted from the first to last page. Work, laundry, pets, chores were all great impositions. Characters were realistic and flawed, her pacing is frantic and perfect, and the story has so many twists. A couple of plot points were a little transparent, but they made me, the reader, feel self-validated for my sleuthing skills. Overall, a five-star effort from one of the best.

Karin Slaughter is such a great thriller writer and We Are All Guilty Here did not disappoint. The small town vibe of this added to the high stakes of finding the killer. So much was packed into this story, sometimes it felt like too much, but I liked the evolution of the characters and story over the span of the book.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

WOW!!!! This book was a WILD ride! I was hooked from the very beginning.

This book takes place in a small town with a tight community. Told from the perspective of Emmy Clifton an officer and daughter to the Sheriff. Emmy is determined to find out what happened to two missing girls, who have slew of secrets. Did I mention one of these missing teens is the daughter of Emmy’s best friend.

The twists were TWISTY - and I love when I don’t see them coming! I audibly gasped more than once and I stayed up way too late finishing it.

I couldn’t put this one down! I can’t wait to see what l’s next in this series.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Karin Slaughter just knows how to write an atmospheric, dark, small-town thriller!

In the small town of North Falls, two teenage girls vanish during a fireworks celebration, shattering the illusion that everyone knows everyone. Officer Emmy Clifton takes the case personally—haunted by the guilt of ignoring a cry for help from her best friend’s daughter. As she digs deeper, Emmy uncovers chilling secrets that reveal how little anyone really knew the girls—or the town itself.

Fans of gritty mysteries and missing persons' cases will devour We Are All Guilty Here!

This story takes place in North Falls, Georgia where two girls go missing and the race is on to try to find them. In a small town where everybody knows everybody it's hard to believe a killer could be lurking. One of the girls is Deputy Emmy Lang's best friend's daughter which makes the case even more heartbreaking for her. I liked the dynamic between Emmy and her father, Gerald, who is the Sheriff and how they work together.

This book has a long list of characters, and a time jump, so be prepared to make a cheat sheet to keep track. The author does a good job of incorporating all the characters into the emotional, tragic, and sometimes dark storyline.

In my humble opinion, this story starts off good, gets really slow in the middle, then picks up speed and gets really good again so stick it out because the twists and turns are well worth it. Just when you think all the twists are over, they're not. Kudos to the author because I had no clue who the murderer was!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book had me HOOKED from the first chapter! It's not your typical thriller, more so like you're the lead investigator solving a case. I usually don't love books like that but I really did with this one. The characters all had so much depth and the plot twists GOT ME. I feel like anytime I read a book that feels more like a detective thriller, the plot twists aren't good but these had my jaw dropping. I definitely want to continue the series

“Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think.
Until the night of the fireworks. When two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites.
For Officer Emmy Clifton, it’s personal. She turned away when her best friend's daughter needed help—and now she must bring her home.
But as Emmy combs through the puzzle the girls left behind, she realizes she never really knew them. Nobody did.
Every teenage girl has secrets. But who would kill for them? And what else is the town hiding?”
This new series from Karin Slaughter starts off with a bang. She is such a fantastic crime writer and it’s so enjoyable to read. I will say that this book was well written with a ton of twists and turns but I knew one of the people very early on and the ending twist I called right from the get go. I wouldn’t say it detracted anything from the story though. I can’t wait to see what else North Falls has in store for us. 4.5 ⭐️

I stayed up way too late last night to finish this book but I have no regrets!

Karin Slaughter is one of my favorite psychological thriller/crime fiction writers, so I was super excited when I got approved for this ARC on NetGalley. Emmy Lou Clifton is a Deputy working under the Sheriff, who is also her dad. While everyone in town is at the Fourth of July celebration, two high school best friends go missing. Emmy and her dad solve the case, but then 12 years later the man who was convicted gets released from prison. 2 days later, another high school girl goes missing, and Emmy and her dad are back on the case.

There’s a lot to like about this book. A good mystery, a dysfunctional family, high school drama, small town drama, broken friendships, redemption, and some really good twists. Emmy is a great character—she’s complex and she’s been through a lot and I don’t think she knows how strong she is, but I really enjoyed the way she developed through the book. I love the way Karin Slaughter writes about the law enforcement side of things and how real her stories feel. This was a solid 5 stars for me and I hope you all love it too! The pub date is 8/12/25, so preorder now or pick it up when it comes out!

As always, thank you to the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was full of twists and turns that i never would see coming. Very well written in depth characters and plot lines. I will say it took me a while to read, the chapters are very long and I struggle with that. That's a personal preference. I really enjoyed this book though, more then i thought I would. Thank you to net galley and the publisher for this ARC. This book releases August 12th

Karin Slaughter has done it again! I was super excited to read this book and it didn't disappoint! I have read all of Slaughter's books and they just keep getting better and better. I am very interested to see how this series continues! Emmy was an excellent character and I look forward to the next book to see what happens. Slaughter always has a way of making you feel like you are right there in the scene as you are reading it. I really felt like I was in that small town right with them.

We Are All Guilty Here is a fast-paced thriller taking place at 2 pivotal times in Deputy Emmy Clifton’s life and career separated by 12 years. It starts fast and furious with the abduction of her childhood friend’s daughter, Madison, and her best friend Cheyenne. The frantic search for their kidnapper is a thrilling story in its own right - but then the story continues! Twelve years later another girl is abducted and Emmy is thrown back into her trauma from the past as she works tirelessly to find the girl and make sure she catches the right perpetrator.

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s an action-packed thriller that was impossible to put down - I ate it up! The cases were exciting and new clues kept me guessing as the story played out. The characters had depth and I loved following their journey, especially Emmy in the role of a female deputy.

Overall a thrilling and enjoyable novel - fans of Karin Slaughter and the genre will not be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

Karin Slaughter has once again delivered a gritty, gripping, and deeply unsettling thriller in We Were All Guilty Here. This first book in a new series is a masterclass in dark, character driven storytelling. Set in a small town simmering with grief and secrets, the novel follows Emmy Lou Clifton—a sharp, complex, and determined lead—through a harrowing journey of truth, trauma, and justice. Slaughter’s signature style is on full display: sharp prose, brutal honesty, and a slow burning plot that explodes with payoff after payoff.

At the heart of the novel is the Clifton family, whose history is tangled with pain, betrayal, and a past that won’t stay buried. The way Slaughter unpacks grief, both individual and communal, is both gut wrenching and powerful. Family dynamics are explored with nuance and raw intensity, and the justice system plays a crucial role, with police procedural elements woven seamlessly into the story. Emmy Lou is a standout lead, she’s resilient, smart, and flawed in ways that make her feel real and compelling.

This is not a book for the faint of heart, the author doesn’t shy away from violence or graphic detail, but it never feels gratuitous, but do keep in mind most of the violence is towards young teenage girls. Every disturbing moment serves a purpose. It’s emotionally intense, morally murky, and impossible to put down. If you’re a fan of dark thrillers that make you think and feel deeply, this is essential reading. As the first in a series, We Were All Guilty Here sets the stage for what promises to be another unforgettable ride, I’m already desperate for book two.

Thanks to Wm. Morrow & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

She's done it again.

Karin Slaughter has created deeply flawed, but relatable characters and an immersive mystery spanning decades. I read recently that Slaughter based the family at the center of the story on South Carolina's Murdaugh family, which is taking me on a whole separate tangent.

As usual, the ambience is dark and moody. There aren't many jokes in a Karin Slaughter book, but there's plenty of tension and family history. The Clifton family is pervasive, and divided into the rich Cliftons and the average Cliftons. Emmy Lou is one of the average ones, born after her older sister and older brother both died. In the early part of the book, she is a cop under the tutelage of her stalwart dad, best friends with Hannah, and straining under the yoke of a bad marriage to an alcoholic. Two teenage girls, best friends, have gone missing, and Slaughter doesn't sugarcoat the odds. Fast forward twelve years, and Emmy and Hannah are no longer friends, because Hannah cannot forgive Emmy for what went down that night. Emmy is Deputy Chief, still under her dad, and has a protege in the form of her young adult son, Cole. The alcoholic husband is history, but Emmy's world is about to fall apart, all over again.

Honestly, I kept this book at arms length for a bit because I knew I would want to savor it. It's rare that I don't have major quibbles with a book, or that I give a book 5 stars. It delivered.

This is binge-worthy, and scary, and I found myself gasping. Only one time I was so scared I had to put it down for 5 minutes. Then it kept me up ALL night. Twists. Turns. Shockers. I couldn't put it down and because I was reading on my Kindle, I couldn't really tell how much more I had left - so there were two times that I thought the book was coming to a close. But NO - another Twist, another Turn. Seriously, I lost a night's sleep. This would be fabulous on screen - I hope there are plans for a movie.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Wow! What a book! It’s the 4th of July with the fireworks happening when two girls disappear. As the case begins they discover the two girls led secret lives that their parents or others didn’t know.,,, but could this lead to their murder? Why would someone want to murder these young girls?
How far would someone go to cover up a secret?
Karen Slaughter always writes a winner

This was my first Karin Slaughter book but not the last. Deeply entwined plot with characters that have depth and characteristics make you want to know more.

Small town setting where everyone has secrets. Even the characters that you think you get to know will keep surprising and you have to read even to the last pages to find out the last twists.

Recommended to fiction crime, thriller mystery readers. Read your trigger warnings since this does not hold back on the subjects.

“Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think.

Until the night of the fireworks. When two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites.
For Officer Emmy Clifton, it’s personal. She turned away when her best friend's daughter needed help—and now she must bring her home.”

Thank you @williammorrow for providing this book for review consideration via @netgalley. All opinions are my own.

#netgalley #bookreview #WeAreAllGuiltyHere

We Are All Guilty Here
𝘣𝘺 𝘒𝘈𝘙𝘐𝘕 𝘚𝘓𝘈𝘜𝘎𝘏𝘛𝘌𝘙
𝘙𝘌𝘓𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘌 𝘋𝘈𝘛𝘌 08/12/2025

This book reminds me of a symphony. It starts lightly and slowly builds up until, by the end, you have tears in your eyes.

Emmy Lou is from a small town in Georgia. She is the sheriff's daughter and a sheriff herself. Like many southern families, they have deep roots in the community.

It’s the Fourth of July, and the whole town has gathered to enjoy the fireworks. However, it’s also Madison’s birthday, and she is indifferent to the celebration. Madison is supposed to meet her best friend, Cheyenne, so they can take her dad's car for a joyride while everyone else is occupied.

When both girls go missing, Emmy and her father begin searching for them. Emmy is particularly invested in the case because one of the girls is her best friend's daughter. This situation is personal for her and is a tragic turn of events.
Couldn’t. Put. It. Down🙌🏼

5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟ЅТΑЯЅ

#karinslaughter #weareallguiltyhere #williammorrow #thrillmemore #bookstagrammer #harpercollins #netgalley #pageturner

Wow… Karin Slaughter never misses.

It’s the Fourth of July, and best friends Cheyenne and Madison are supposed to meet up. Cheyenne’s running late, which has Madison uneasy—so she hops on her bike to look for her. What she finds instead is a chilling scene… and then both girls vanish.

Deputy Emmy Clifton assists in investigating this case, but twelve years later, the case is reopened—and Emmy must face what she missed the first time. The deeper she digs, the more disturbing the truth becomes.

From the very first chapter, this twisty, gripping thriller had me hooked. I thought I had it figured out, but I was so wrong—and that’s exactly what I love about Karin Slaughter’s writing. Her stories are unpredictable, layered, and filled with rich character development and perfectly paced suspense.

Highly recommend this one for spooky season or anyone who loves a sharp, emotionally complex crime thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.