North Falls, Georgia is a fictional small town in the southwestern part of Georgia in Clifton County, where everyone knows everyone else, but everyone hides secrets. Most of the town is run by the Clifton family. Police officer Emmy Clifton, 30, the principal narrator, is daughter of the Sheriff, Gerald Clifton.

The story begins on July 4, when Madison Dalrymple turned 15. Madison was the daughter of Emmy’s best friend, Hannah, and like a daughter to Emmy as well. Madison and her best friend Cheyenne intended to meet up at the fireworks, but instead, both went missing.

The race to find the girls is terrifying. Emmy knew the statistics about child abductions - especially the fact that within 24 hours, virtually all of the victims are dead. It was also true that fewer than one percent of abductions were committed by random strangers. She and Gerald thought they knew everyone in their town well - but did they really?

There are more twists and turns than usual for Slaughter in this novel that keeps surprising you until the end.

Discussion: Slaughter likes to bring readers’ attention to awful things done to girls and women, but in the process, she brings our attention to awful things actually done to girls and women! It’s pretty hard to take. And yet, as she might say, she’s not making this stuff up! … except of course, for the specific characters who do her dirty work.

Ordinarily, I try very hard to avoid books that describe very bad things happening to women, but I always make an exception with Slaughter. Her compassion as well as her anger over what can happen to women is clearly expressed and always a part of her stories.

Karin Slaughter simply never disappoints. Make no mistake, the crimes she depicts are gritty and appalling. And yet, readers will appreciate that this is only the first book of a new series. The complexity and nuance she brings to her characters make you want to come back to them to find out how they will change under new challenging circumstances.

We Are All Guilty Here is the first installment in Karin Slaughter’s new North Falls series, centered around Emmy, a sheriff’s deputy in the small town she once called home. The narrative weaves between two timelines—first, Emmy’s urgent search for two missing teenage girls, and then, twelve years later, her return to the same unresolved trauma when another girl disappears under eerily similar circumstances.
While the premise sets up the potential for an emotionally complex, slow-burn thriller, the execution falls flat in several key areas. The book is steeped in police procedural elements, but the investigative sequences come across as overly detailed and monotonous, lacking the narrative tension that might otherwise propel the story forward. At almost 500 pages, the novel feels drawn out and could have benefited from tighter editing to maintain momentum.
Perhaps most frustratingly, the characters—including Emmy—remain disappointingly static throughout the story. Despite the passage of more than a decade, their personalities, speech, and behaviors do not evolve in meaningful ways. This lack of character development makes it difficult to emotionally invest in their fates or feel the weight of the unfolding mystery.
Fans of Karin Slaughter’s grittier, more character-driven works may find this one lacking the emotional depth and psychological nuance they’ve come to expect. While We Are All Guilty Here sets the stage for a longer series, it struggles to establish a compelling core, leaving little to look forward to in future installments.

Karin Slaughter is a must-read author for me, but this was a little disappointing. It's not as gritty as some of Slaughter's other books. The main character, Emmy, was fine, but I much preferred the secondary character of Jude. She was intriguing and had a great back story. The chapters were way too long and seemed to drag at times. Not my favorite Slaughter book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted copy!
Karin Slaughter delivers a gripping and morally complex thriller in We Are All Guilty Here. The pacing was steady with moments of sharp tension, and the characters felt real and flawed in the best way. It wasn’t her most explosive novel, but it was a strong, well-written story that kept me turning the pages. A solid 4 stars.

FIVE STARS!! This book has reminded me of why I’m a reader. Books like this, they grab you from the beginning. You get attached to the character, to their stories and their lives. Slaughter has brought back the Patricia Cornwell style of crime with a modern twist and even stronger female characters. First, the plot of this book. Emmy is a deputy; her best friend’s daughter goes missing during the town fireworks and Emmy might have been able to prevent it. Two girls end up missing that night. Fast forward 12 years and Emmy is faced with another missing girl, taken in the same manner. Mysteries, secrets, and lies unravel in this thriller. North Falls is a small community and everyone knows everyone, family names matter, and your history could affect your future. The characters are so unique but relatable, the plot line carries you along quickly, and picturing the town and characters was easy. The raw emotion that I felt reading this book was something I had not experienced in a long time. If you think you have the ending figured out, you will get tossed and turned like you are in a washing machine! This is my top read of the year so far. I am so glad this is only book one of the North Falls series, oh my goodness, I cannot wait for more of the Clifton family. I am so excited!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this digital Advanced Reader Copy of this novel.

I unfortunately had to DNF this one.

The chapters are way too long, I can not pay attention and the plot isn't pulling me in to the point I can't put it down. I'm struggling picking it up.

Karin Slaughter’s ,We Are All Guilty Here, marks a powerful beginning to her new North Falls series. The novel opens with a traumatic crime: two teenage girls vanish during a July 4th celebration, a tragedy that sends shockwaves through a community where everyone knows everyone—and where everyone believes they are safe. Emmy Clifton, a young police officer, and her father, Sheriff Gerald Clifton, are at the heart of the investigation. While an arrest is eventually made, the case leaves lingering doubts and unresolved questions.

Years later, when new evidence overturns the conviction and the accused is released from prison, the past resurfaces with chilling familiarity as another teenage girl disappears under eerily similar circumstances. Now serving as Chief of Police, Emmy finds herself in a race against time to prevent history from repeating itself. With the assistance of Jude Archer, a retired FBI agent and psychologist, Emmy must confront not only the dark secrets of her town but also the complicated dynamics within her own family.

The pacing of We Are All Guilty Here is deliberate at first, building tension through detailed investigation and character development, before accelerating into a suspenseful, twist-filled second half. Some plot turns are foreseeable, while others genuinely surprise, making for a rewarding reading experience. At nearly 500 pages, the novel is a little long winded but worth the read.

It is important to note that Slaughter does not shy away from difficult subject matter; the story engages with dark themes including sex trafficking and child exploitation. While less graphic than Pretty Girls, it is still intense and should approach it with awareness of these challenging topics. Even so, Slaughter handles these elements with sensitivity, particularly in her portrayal of victims and the ethical dilemmas faced by law enforcement.

In conclusion, We Are All Guilty Here is a thought-provoking, emotionally charged thriller that signals a promising start to the North Falls series. With its nuanced characters, complex moral landscape, and expertly woven plot, it is a solid read for both long-time fans and newcomers to Slaughter’s work. I look forward to seeing where Emmy Clifton’s journey leads—and to returning to the secrets of North Falls in the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the chance to read this novel.

Karin Slaughter never disappoints me. I love every book she has and I cannot wait for the rest of the reads in this series!

Karin Slaughter does it again! Not that I expected anything less from Karin Slaughter amazing writing. Full of mystery, two teenage girls are abducted from the local fireworks display of a local town in Georgia. During the investigation, there are some dark secrets revealed, and twists I did not see coming. Karin is great at that with her writing. She gives us the "whole picture" and serves it with a bow and I love that about her books.

Well written and a must read for anyone new or already a fan of Karin! You will not be disappointed.

I was excited to read this book, a new one from an author I've always enjoyed reading. But I just wasn't thrilled with it. The main character Emmy was just ok. I preferred the secondary character Jude and wished for more of her. The story bogged down in spots. Several twists kept it interesting.

Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I enjoyed it. A strong four stars.

Karin Slaughter could write directions to my own damn house and I would still be surprised at how we got there. I’ve loved her books for years and was so happy to see I was approved for an eARC of this one from NetGalley. Soooo good!! Loved the character development and of course all the twists!

I did not put this book down yesterday it ruined my whole productive day that I had planned. The story was amazing so many twists to this book 🤯. The characters in this book were so well written and the story just flowed. I flew through this book and it left me flabbergasted. This book is easily ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thank you @netgalley for letting me get an ARC copy of this book. #karenslaughter #netgalley #arc #weareallguiltyhere

This book is exactly what a psychological thriller should be. Depraved criminals, dysfunctional families, engaging storylines; We Are All Guilty Here delivers on all of this.
Some of the outcomes were predictable but the lead ups were fantastic. This book is well worth your time and will keep you engaged.
4.5 stars


Thanks to NetGalley and WilliamMorrow for the opportunity to read this arc!

I am a Karin Slaughter stan. I absolutely love her work. This book was no exception. Missing people. Sign me up. This book gripped me right from the start. You definitely will not be disappointed. GO READ IT.

Teenage girls disappear and are found dead. While investigating, it becomes apparent that the girls had many secrets. Can friendship survive crushing grief? Can you ever get over guilt when you feel it cost the ultimate price?

If you're familiar with Slaughter's writing, you know she doesn’t shy away from graphic or gritty scenes. Her gripping prose and dynamic characters pull you in, and she skillfully weaves in twists and turns throughout the story. This is the first book in her newest series, and while it's on the longer side, I found it impossible to put down. I never once caught myself checking how many pages were left. The plot follows police officer Emmy Clifton as she investigates a missing persons case that quickly becomes something much more complex, all set in a small Georgia town. Trigger warnings definitely apply, though I wouldn’t say it’s the most graphic of her works.

Thank you William Morrow for the gifted copy!

I will read anything Karin Slaughter puts out and I was lucky enough to read this one early.
I truly love the unexpected surprises that she always puts in her books and this one was just full of surprises!
Two girls go missing on July 4th weekend, a father/daughter cop duo is there to investigate and find the girls. They find the attacker, send him to prison and move on….or so they think. When the attacker gets let out of prison and another girl goes missing, what are the conclusions other than of course he had something to do with it….but are you sure? This had everything from a long line of family drama, to twisted secrets from everyone in the town, or hell even out of town. It was just a fun ride and who doesn’t love being able to figure out the killer and stuff before the end of the book….but when you think you have it and then a new set of crazy things happen or you realize wait it can’t be them and then you are hit with who it is and you are like omg that makes sense, that’s always so fun! Every character in this book had their own personality that added to the story, usually a lot of different characters takes away from the story, at least for me, but even though you had so many different moving parts, this still kept my attention all the way through and never faltered. The amount of times I was gasping and was like ohhh I didn’t see that coming. Everyone should read this.

I am a longtime reader and fan of Karin Slaughter’s books. Her newest, WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE, is excellent with a sweeping tale of a family deconstructed, a small town filled with tightly knit inhabitants, and a cast of characters that are impossible to forget. Slaughter carefully builds a world with secrets upon secrets and then lets the characters loose to move through the plot. And oh what a plot! There are many layers to each storyline and the revealing details arrive late in the book, allowing the tension to build. This is a book best read without a lot of plot details available ahead of time. Readers will want to discover the story as the author intended: at a pace that moves forward deliberately and relentlessly. This is Slaughter at her best. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

A gripping small-town mystery you won’t want to put down!
Perfect for fans of Pretty Girls and Will Trent, this story dives into friendship, loyalty, and how well we really know the people around us.
The perfect mix of suspense and emotion.
A story about secrets, second chances, and the strength it takes to protect the people you love.
If you enjoy Pretty Girls or Will Trent, you’ll love this unforgettable start to a brand-new series!