I knew this was going to be a page turner in every sense of the word I love it and was biting my nails trying to get to the next page I will recommend this read

Karin Slaughter has started a new series! North Falls is a small town in Georgia located in Clifton County and there are a whole lot of the Clifton family active in government and town and county activities. The focus in the North Falls series first novel is on the life and responsibilities of Officer Emmy Clifton and her father Sheriff Gerald Clifton. The story begins with the abduction of 2 young “wayward” teens on July 4th. One is the daughter of Emmy’s best friend Hannah which makes it all the more difficult. The resolution of the disappearance has aftershocks in years to come. The next phase of the story is in a new timeline. Twelve years after the abduction another teen disappears and the Sheriff’s department and Emmy are not going to let the earlier event happen again. Nothing will stop her from solving the disappearance. A host of well presented characters are there from the good, to the presumed innocent, to the presumed guilty, to the downright cruel. As a police procedural, talk about tension, twisty plot, mystery, action, and great characters! To go into more detail would not be fair to the reader as they, like me, need to deal with the shocky conclusion. Slaughter’s plot deals with the emotional topic of child abduction, dysfunctional families and violence against women. Readers should be aware of the topic but know the author does it all in a sensitive yet effective way bringing awareness to the topic. A must read! Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC

I have to be honest and say that the book does start extremely slow. That being said it’s excusable when you see that this will be a new series for her. There is a lot of set up that needs to happen and it’s woven into a very detail oriented story. Because you have a family of deputies and the FBI involved you’re going to get a lot of cop speak. If you hate that- I’m not sure why you’re reading this kind of true crime but go off I guess?

The Clifton’s are king of the County- it’s named after them after all. Emmy Lou’s dad is the sheriff she’s the chief and the clock is ticking in a race to find her best friends missing step daughter. When the two girls are found dead their quaint North Falls is turned upside down when the case goes cold. Until 12 years later another young girl goes missing from the same spot. Emmy Lou is determined to solve the case for good this time.

This really sucked me in around the 40% mark. I forced myself to turn my kindle off at 2am and immediately grabbed it to finish right when I logged off for the day. After 50% the book is non stop. There were a few times I was sure I had it figured out and I did in some capacity. But there are curve balls left and right that will have your jaw on the floor.

Don’t miss this when it’s released August 12th!

I have long been a fan of Karin Slaughter, but something about "We Are All Guilty Here" missed the mark for me.
The book's first quarter took place over the course of 1 day, but it dragged on for far too long for me. The rest of the book attempted to make up for the slow burn of the first section, but there were a couple of swings and misses for me. I enjoyed the characters for the most part, but the story ebbed and flowed with my interest.
I'm not sure if Slaughter is planning for this to become her next series,s but I do hope so. I want more about the characters and the small town, and I hope we get more if there is a second book.

I am a fan of Karin Slaughter’s Will Trent series. Now she is introducing a new character…Emily Clifton. I am already excited for the author to continue this series and watch the growth of Clifton .This is a case of two missing girls and along the way the impact on a friendship. Great read.

Wow! Wow wow wow!!! Karin Slaughter has done it again!! This book was so painstakingly well written. This book is the first in a new series featuring Emmy Clifton. Emmy has an long and often traumatic story, and I can’t wait to keep reading the series to see where life takes her next.

Excellent read. One of my favorite by the authors. Looks like a new series which is great. So many pieces to untangle

We Are All Guilty Here is the first novel in the new North Falls series by Karin Slaughter. Slaughter’s writing is precise and deliberate, and every word is chosen with care to drive the narrative forward. As a longtime fan of her work, I was thrilled to dive into this new series, and it delivers everything I love about her novels – taut suspense, compelling characters, and a story that lingers long after the final page.

This first book introduces Officer Emmy Clifton, a relatable and layered character who’s easy to root for. Slaughter has a knack for creating characters that feel real, and Emmy is no different. In the first half, her vulnerabilities really stand out as she tackles a case that hits close to home. Her emotional reactions make sense given her youth and the personal stakes involved, and her growth over the course of the story felt genuine.

This novel skillfully balances character-driven storytelling with the intricacies of police procedurals, weaving a twisty plot that kept me guessing. I read a lot of crime fiction, and Slaughter is still able to surprise me! She dives fearlessly into dark themes, shining a compassionate light on issues like violence against women and children. Her unflinching approach is matched by sensitivity, creating a narrative that’s as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.

We Are All Guilty Here is a fantastic start to a new series. Slaughter’s ability to blend intricate plotting with deeply human storytelling is unmatched, and this novel is no exception. With surprising twists, a strong sense of time and place, and relatable characters, this is a fantastic start to what promises to be another unforgettable series. Bring on the next installment!

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Karin Slaughter for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Note: these reviews will be posted to socials on August 1st ahead of the release date. It will be posted to YouTube and TikTok

Thank you William Morrow publishing for providing me this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review.

Karin Slaughter will. Never. Miss. This is the first book in the new North Falls series and it was a fantastic opener to what I know is going to be an amazing series. We follow Emmy as she solves a double kidnapping and twelve years later as she investigates a very similar kidnapping. I was on the edge of my seat. This book was full of tension and suspicious characters. There were twists and reveals all the way up to the final pages. I eagerly look forward to the continuation of this series.

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.