Looks like this is a new series for Slaughter, but I wish it were a standalone. Of course, that's just a personal opinion, and the difference won't get in the way of your entertainment. This book will have you eating the pages, trust me.

Unfortunately, the story is heartbreaking. Inseparable friends get mixed in dirty business and end up kidnapped on the same day. Emmy regrets having been too engrossed in her own drama, she thinks she could have saved them, so she gives her all to recover them and find out who is behind it. More than a decade later, when it all should have been solved and past them, another girl disappears in a similar manner. And this time, Emmy doesn't have her father and mentor to guide her.

Full disclaimer, I've been a fan of Karin Slaughter since Blindsided. And I can't even point out why. At this point, however, of course some parts that I always find in her books have become something like a cozy couch as I read. One of them is family. Moreover, the importance of dealing with your past. And I want to say this is a theme even more present in this story, but it's probably in all of her stories.

If I have to find fault with this book is how wordy it is. It explains and describes too much. No wonder the number of pages. I wonder if when you reach this point in your career the editor doesn't force you to cut the crap. At the same time I was frowning at this, the pages kept turning at an amazing speed. Karin Slaughter's writing is that magical.

The characters were also very likeable. Even Madison, who we barely meet, left such a scar in my heart. And the dilemmas and issues Emmy needs to fight. And the way Jude is amazing and at the same time human. How Gerald dotes on his youngest the same intensity he regrets how he used to parent before Emmy. The change we see with the Myrna from the beginning and how the years emptied her. No one reading this review will realize it but, the simple fact that I remember the characters' name shows how attached I got to them.

I do feel that some facts got mentioned and never developed, however. The biggest one being the details of the car crash that changed Jude's life. That may be one of the big reasons I regret this being a series. Will they develop them in a later volume? Or were they plotholes, parts the editor I mentioned above could have cut and never managed to? In any case, they made me expect scenes that never arrived, and this was disappointing.

From the length of this review I'm sure you can feel how connected I felt to this book, so of course I'm recommending it not only to Slaughter's fans, but for fans of a more dramatic type of crime books. Nonetheless, I don't recommend it to those who don't like it when the detective's life plays a big part. In fact, this is more about the detective than about the girls missing.



Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

A crime thriller that examines guilt, justice, and the human psyche. Slaughter delivers a compelling story with unexpected twists. A must-read for fans of psychological suspense.

I’m definitely a Karin Slaughter fan — I fell in love with her writing with a standalone and eventually read all of her back catalogue, including the Will Trent series. She is a powerful writer when she writes a standalone tale, usually sort of a detailed police procedural, but always filled with well-developed female characters. “We Are All Guilty Here” has the branding of “North Falls #1” and what an incredible beginning to a new series with women law enforcement set in rural Georgia.

When we meet Officer Emmy Clifton she’s 30 years old and has been on the North Falls force for 6 years. Her 74 year old dad Gerald is the sheriff, and she has an 11 year old son Cole. Her husband is a jerk. Her best friend Hannah is stepmom to 15 year old Madison. Suddenly Madison and another 15 year old, Cheyenne, go missing while the entire town is watching 4th of July fireworks. Fairly quickly (but not quick enough) Emmy and her dad believe they’ve identified the perpetrator..

The action follows the search for the two missing girls and the aftermath 12 years later when a podcast disrupts what everyone thought was the truth. Now Emmy,the chief deputy sheriff, with her 23 year old son as her deputy and her 86 year old father still sheriff, are re-examining what happened during the first investigation. They are horrified when another 14 year old girl goes missing under nearly the exact same circumstances, but they can’t make the first guy (recently released) seem like the suspect the second time around. North Falls is again put under the national microscope, and this time a well known female FBI criminal psychologist comes to town to assist. Dr. Jude Archer has some secrets of her own, and she challenges Emmy’s presumptions about both cases.

Slaughter knows how to write realistic portrayals of women cops — even in the Will Trent series, Will’s boss Amanda and Faith’s retired police captain mother are extremely well drawn. There’s no difference here — the author isn’t afraid to explore Emmy and Jude’s complex emotions about family and the trauma of crime. Both of them are extremely memorable and deserve a North Falls #2. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No eye colors mentioned except for a possible suspect’s brown eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The ubiquitous Georgia woods do play a part.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Not my favorite of hers..It was pretty wordy(She does love to write a long book)...I feel bad for not being able to write a flourshing review of this book, I just didnt care for it. That being said, I will continue to read her books and give everyone of them a fair shot.

In a small southern town where everyone is acquainted and/or related Deputy Emmy Clinton’s life is irrevocably altered when a kidnapping and murder occur. We follow our FMC from the moment before the abduction to the investigation, trial and post trial outcomes.

Karin Slaughter’s masterful characters tug at your heartstrings, evoking a range of emotions, from anger to sadness and anxiety. The detail in which the the interactions between our FMC and her family is provided reeled me in, I must admit I finished in one sitting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and understood the author’s intention to introduce a new series. However, the concluding chapters could’ve been reserved for next book. The rapid prominence of the secondary character and the excessive amount of information left me abruptly thrust into the narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC.

I love Karin Slaughter. This book starts a new series for her and I am overjoyed to have received an advanced copy. This book was brutal and twisty, sad and chaotic. It was superb. I loved every second of this book. I couldn’t put it down.

I kept guessing what was going to happen over and over and never had it right. The best kind of book is the one that keeps you guessing, but not bored. This is just that. 5/5. All the stars.

This is only my second book by this author. I am still speechless after finishing this book. Small town, girls are missing and frantic search to find them. So many suspects in an investigation that kept taking turns and learning new things about residents of this small town. Some parts left me completely heart broken, in tears or otherwise just plain angry and frustrated. A total roller coaster of emotions from start to finish. I feel that it is a bit unfinished in one plot and hoping for a sequel…. Great book!!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a little biased coming into this as Karen Slaughter is probably my favorite author of all time, and We Are All Guilty Here did not disappoint.

As a big fan of true crime and thrillers, this book hit it out of the park. I am so excited for more North Falls entries because, based on Grant County and Will Trent, I know I'm in for a wild ride.
Rating breakdown:
Characters/Setting- Slaughter is akin to crack to me when it comes to her character work. I can visualize these people and put them into real-world context, our badass yet imperfect female leads, the men around them (whether skeevy or wholesome), the annoying cousin, the creepy neighbor. She just writes a small-town dynamic perfectly. This made me feel nostalgic for Grant County, which I will probably end up doing a re-read of because I think Sarah and Jeffrey need a little visit from me.

Plot- While not the darkest of her novels, especially description-wise, this still has a super heavy subject matter. We follow an abduction from the start, and the interpersonal workings and lives of those it affects, though the scope stays small within the main cast.

Themes/emotional- My heart was racing towards the end of this book. We spend so much time with our FMCs really getting into the case and investigation and when it comes to a head, the stress is real. I did guess who our culprit was earlyish on, but I still had a fantastic time.

Karin Slaughter is the queen of her genre. She is one of the only authors left that can still give me goose bumps. Her books are so dark and the stories so intricately detailed. I loved this one, just as I’ve loved her others. Karin Slaughter is not for the weak of heart, but DAMN is she good.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Emmy Clinton is a deputy in the quiet town of North Falls, where nothing much happens—until two teenage girls go missing on the Fourth of July. One of them is her best friend’s stepdaughter, and Emmy will stop at nothing to bring her home.

This is an amazing start to what I hope will be a long-running series. The characters are incredibly well developed—I was drawn to Emmy right away. The plot is fast-paced and full of tension, with just the right mix of emotion and suspense. A true nail-biter that kept me reading late into the night. Highly recommended for fans of gripping mysteries and strong female leads.

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

It is no secret that Karin Slaughter is one of my favorite authors of all time. I will read everything she writes. I was so excited for a new series and when I got an arc I literally screamed! I liked this one but I did not love it. I feel it was more of a me problem though than a book problem. I am so used to the characters in Karin's other series that I feel like I need more time to get used to this new set of characters. I am definitely going to continue this series and will read anything and everything Karin Slaughter writes.

This book was dark and difficult to read at times due to its content. Most of Slaughter's novels are this way. In my opinion it was not her darkest but it was definitely up there with some of her most darkest books. I did enjoy getting introduced to new characters that have much depth and room for story lines moving forward. I loved Emmy (main characters) relationship with her father and her son who also are police in North Falls.

In this story we meet Officer Emmy Clifton. The book is set in the quiet town of North Falls, the story. The book starts out with a Fourth of July celebration. It all takes a wrong turn, when two teenage girls vanish without a trace. Emmy finds herself at the center of the investigation, determined to uncover the truth. As one of the missing girls is the daughter of her best friend. The story is told in dual timeline, which adds an extra layer of tension, revealing how a crime from over a decade ago still casts a long shadow over the present. The book has lots of twists and morally gray characters, keeping us on edge.of our seats. I felt at times the pacing lingers on heavy descriptions, With its gripping whodunit plot, richly developed characters, and relentless tension, this is yet another knockout from Slaughter.

#netgalley

Wow!!! This was excellent, if you are a Slaughter fan do not wait to read this new book. It’s also the start of a new series. I’m so excited to read the next one.

Slaughter’s characters are so well developed it’s hard to remember that they are not real people. I’ve read all her books and this one is the best yet. Her new lead character Emmy Lou Clifton is a flawed woman but full of gumption and intelligence. All of Emmy’s family members and friends are very lifelike too. I can’t wait to see how her son Cole becomes a bigger part of the series and if she and Hannah resume their friendship.

Thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book.

A five-star mystery-thriller that keeps you turning the pages! I loved the writing style, character depth, small town setting, complex family drama, the pacing and plot and story twists. If you enjoyed the Will Trent series, you'll love this book.

Karin Slaughter has a masterful way of telling a story and she has done it once again with We Are All Guilty Here! This is the first in a new series and I am 100% here for it. I don't think anyone writes characters quite as well as this author does. The characters are flawed but relatable. In the first part of the book, Emmy seemed young and impulsive and questionable as a cop. The Emmy in the later part of the book has clearly grown both as a person and as a police officer, but you can still see her cracks.

There are red herrings galore and you don't know who to trust. I think everyone was a suspect in my eyes at one point or another. In true Karin Slaughter fashion, the way everything wrapped up and the way the book ended was perfect. The twists and turns were a lot of fun in this one and I can't wait to see where this series goes!!!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

“We Are All Guilty Here” by Karin Slaughter is book one of a new gripping thriller series that combines razor-sharp plotting with emotional depth. Set in a small town with a close knit community, the story begins with the dramatic abduction of two teenage girls during a fireworks celebration. Our new heroine is the deputy sheriff who works along side her father the long serving sheriff. Together they work to peel back the layers of the suspects alibis to locate the teens before time runs out.
As the plot progresses to 12 years later, another female teen from town mysteriously disappears and numerous secrets, shocking twists and family dramas are revealed in a most disturbing way.
Ms. Slaughter never shies away from difficult topics, and this book deals with child abduction, dysfunctional families, and violence against women. It is written in a very effective style bringing much needed awareness to these topics.

The book is long being the first in the series to give readers the back stories on the multitude of intriguing but very flawed characters. I enjoyed this book a lot and am looking forward to the next book in the series!

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

Karin Slaughter did it again!

The new series kicks off with Emmy, a deputy chief in a small town where everyone knows her family, the Clifton's. Her father is Sheriff and he works side by side with Emmy to figure out what happened to 2 missing girls. They land the culprit .... or did they?

Years later, Emmy's son, Cole is working with her in the field and a girl disappears. Is it the same culprit as before or did a copy cat start?

This story has so many twists that the story is perfection. One of the best reads so far this year!! 👏

I love Karin Slaughter and was stoked to get the chance to read her upcoming book, We Are All Guilty Here. Equally dark, meticulous and skillfully written as her other novels, combining the lives of the characters with such small yet crucial details. Karin Slaughter can nail an unexpected twist like no other. This book was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking on multiple occasions, but also made me continue to root for justice. I’m already looking forward to the rest of the North Falls series. Thank you NetGalley & William Morrow Books for the e-ARC.

Karin Slaughter is salt it again. This felt like a badass episode of Criminal Minds or SVU, I loved how the story leaned into police procedures rather than graphic crime details. It made the characters feel grounded and the stakes more realistic. Slaughter delivers strong, layered women and a justice system that’s anything but simple. The pacing slowed a bit in places, but overall, this was gripping and satisfying. I seriously cannot wait to see more of this series!

I’ve crowned many authors queens of the twisty thriller, but with We Are All Guilty Here, Karin Slaughter doesn’t just wear the crown she grabs it and will never have to let it go. This is a masterclass in the detective thriller!

Set in the tiny, quietly haunted town of North Falls, the story centers on the Clifton family. A sprawling group of some rich, some not, all deeply entangled in the fabric of the community. The “less” Cliftons, like Police Chief Gerald Clifton and his daughter Emmy Lou, are the ones holding the town together in all the ways that matter.

Ten years before the present timeline, Emmy Lou is caught up in the tragic death of her best friend's stepdaughter. A man is arrested, charged, and put away. Case closed. Until it isn’t. When he’s exonerated and released, due to another. crime, Emmy is broken.
But once another girl goes missing, she knows she has to pull it together and follow her instincts.

Slaughter doesn’t just tell a story—she builds an entire town. The novel reads like three books in one, each piece fitting perfectly into the next. Secrets stretch across generations. Characters are flawed, human, and sometimes impossible to root for. That’s part of what makes the story so compelling.

This is a novel about guilt in all its forms: personal, inherited, communal. If you're a fan of thrillers that are as emotionally complex as they are gripping, this one’s a must. I desperately need the next book in the series asap!

#WilliamMorrow #WeAreAllGuiltyHere #KarinSlaughter #NorthFalls #UnmissableThriller