This was my first Karin Slaughter book, and it definitely won’t be my last. I’d heard great things about her writing, and We Are All Guilty Here delivered—gripping, well-paced, and full of tension. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to explore more of her work!

**First Person ARC Review: *We Are All Guilty Here* by Karin Slaughter**

Reading *We Are All Guilty Here* felt like being dropped into a pressure cooker—one that just kept tightening the screws with each turn of the page. Karin Slaughter has always had a talent for combining sharp psychological insight with gritty crime drama, but this one hit on a deeper level for me. It’s not just about the mystery; it’s about the choices we make when no one’s watching—and the consequences that refuse to stay buried.

The story is set in a small town thick with secrets, and the tension practically vibrates off the page. From the beginning, I had that creeping sensation that something was very wrong, even before I could name what it was. Every character felt like they were hiding something, and I found myself second-guessing everyone—even the narrator. Especially the narrator.

What really struck me, though, was the moral ambiguity at the heart of the novel. There’s a constant push and pull between justice and survival, between guilt and self-preservation. I kept asking myself, “What would I do?”—and I’m still not sure I like the answer.

Slaughter doesn’t flinch from showing the uglier sides of human nature, and this book is no exception. It’s dark, twisted, and deeply human. The kind of book that leaves you unsettled long after you’ve closed it, not because of what happened—but because of what it says about all of us. This one got under my skin.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter is a beautifully written, emotionally intense thriller that will stay with you long after you finish. The characters are so well-developed, you’ll feel fully invested in their fates—and just when you think you know where it's going, the story delivers twists you won’t see coming.

It’s dark, raw, and at times deeply unsettling. You’ll feel scared, angry, and heartbroken—often all at once. If you’re familiar with Slaughter’s work, you know to expect heavy themes handled with unflinching honesty. If you're new to her books, be aware: this isn't a light read. But it is an unforgettable one, and I’d recommend it to anyone who appreciates beautiful storytelling and emotionally layered thrillers.

Book: We Are All Guilty Here
Author: Karin Slaughter
Publisher: William Morrow
Pub Date: August 12, 2025

This is book #1 in her new North Falls series. I loved the characters in this story and I felt a connection to them. And to be fully transparent there was one part where I shed a few tears. I totally related to what was happening and felt it deeply. This book was hard to talk about without spoilers because it moves fast and everything feels like a clue to the outcome. There are several characters and there were times I was confused. That is one reason I went with four stars. The second reason was it was long and there were times it felt drawn out and sometimes repetitive. She could have shortened it by several chapters but maybe she was setting the stage for the second book. I am looking forward the second book – and if you know me this is nothing I ever thought I would say. But I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is August 12, 2025.

Once you start this book prepare to do nothing else but finish it! I was captivated from the very first pages. This book starts in the past when Emily is a deputy and her best friend Hannah's daughter and her friend are kidnapped and murdered then the book flips to the current day when Emily is acting Sheriff and full of regret not finding Hannah's daughter in time. The past and present collide when another girl is missing will Emily be able this time to find her in time? You will have to read to find out! Loved this book . Loved the small town feeling, the mystery and I hope this is a series because I would love to see Emily and Jude in another book! Definitely recommend !

We Are All Guilty Here is a crime thriller centered around Emmy Lou, the sheriff’s deputy, and her father, Gerald, the sheriff. The first part of the book introduces us to the crimes of the psychopath that Emmy Lou follows for over the next decade. It feels eerie and unsettling. Slaughter feeds us bread crumbs of clues throughout the book that get the reader trying to solve the case on their own. The next 2/3 of the book takes place when a similar crime scene is found. The minutes tick by as local authorities try to save a missing child and beat the statistics. The family dynamics and tough decisions are relatable- domestic abuse, controlling family members, estranged family members, etc. I think what really impressed me was that I felt like there were no plot holes. I hate reading books where you are left confused about X, Y, and Z. Slaughter covers her bases and stays consistent. Overall, I enjoyed this book and was anxious to see where it would lead. I only wish the chapters had been a bit shorter as I hate having to pause in the middle of a chapter. I hope that there is a follow up book with these characters. Thank you NetGalley and The William Morrow Team for the opportunity to read and review this thrilling title.

Another great book that I hope begins a new series. The characters are well written and complex. The plot has plenty of twists. You won’t see the end coming

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for this ARC!!

I am a huge Karin Slaughter fan and have read most of her books, so I was ecstatic to get this ARC. This might be my favorite novel she has written. The twists were so surprising! I truly did not see the novel going down the path it did either. If you want a book to make you hold your breath and keep you up at night, read this.

Wow was that good. The ending was the best for me! I didn’t see all of that happening. I was holding my breath.. Karin has done a wonderful job with this new series. I couldn’t put it down and I highly recommend it! Thank you for letting me preview it.

I read this courtesy William Morrow and NetGalley. In this, Karin Slaughter’s latest book that is also the first in a new series, we are treated to North Falls, a new small town in Georgia, where like Heartsdale, GA, everyone seems to know everyone. At least by sight, but definitely not by character, because a pair of teenage girls vanish. Officer Emmy Clifton, guilt-ridden because she dismissed one of the girls when she was preoccupied by her own troubles, has to figure out what happened. Who would have them? Who were the girls, really? The story is riveting and keeps you guessing, and the final twist is delicious and makes me want more.
#WeAreAllGuiltyHere #NetGalley

Absolutely mind blowing. You think you’ll solve this, but jokes on you. Mind blowing ending.
Two teenage girls go missing Fourth of July. Their bikes left stranded in the soccer pitch. Emmylou has to keep it together for her best friend, stepmother to one of the missing girls. Can she put it aside and solve the case?

The first book in Karin Slaughter's North Falls series was an easy five stars for me!
Welcome to North Falls, Georgia, a small town where everyone knows one another. The Clifton family is hard to miss with Gerald being the sheriff, daughter, Emmy Lou the deputy sheriff and her son Cole also on the force. It is the Fourth of July and everyone has gathered for the fireworks show. Teenage best friends, Madison and Cheyenne go missing without a trace. One of the missing girls is the daughter of her best friend, Hannah so Emmy will not rest until she discovers the truth of their disappearance. The characters a very believable and well developed. Everyone is intertwined in the small town. I look forward to reading the next book in the North Falls series that will hopefully feature more with Hannah, Cole and Jude Archer. Do not miss this unputdownable mystery/thriller.

4.5 Stars – Twisty, Tense, and Totally Absorbing

Karin Slaughter is my auto-buy author ... if she writes it, I read it. So, when I got my hands on an ARC of We Are All Guilty Here, I dove in with sky-high expectations. Thankfully, this book did not disappoint.

Slaughter proves yet again why she’s the queen of plot twists. Just when you think you’ve got a grip on what’s going on, she pulls the rug out from under you in the best way. The pacing is taut, the characters are layered and flawed, and the tension never lets up.

What stood out most to me was how seamlessly she blended emotional depth with unflinching suspense. It’s dark, yes, but also incredibly human. Slaughter knows how to get under your skin and keep you turning pages long into the night.

If you're a fan of thrillers that actually surprise you and leave you thinking long after the last page this is one to grab.

I have not read a Karin Slaughter novel in some time so I was eager to dive back in to some of her work. However, while the story was good I had trouble with a few things in it.

To start, the pacing just didn’t feel right to me. Considering the majority of this books takes place over about 3 days, the long drawn out chapters lessened the severity of the situation and didn’t quite give me that heart-pounding anticipation of “will they succeed in time” that should come with a story like this.

Secondly, there are so many different characters that I had trouble keeping track of who’s who and their place in the story. Perhaps that was to give us more options of who the murderer could be but it was too distracting for me trying to remember everyone.

Overall the plot was good and kept me guessing. I just think that it could have given more in terms of suspense for such a time sensitive situation.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

4.25/5⭐️

Karin Slaughter does it again. Another intense thriller, but check your trigger warnings.
“Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think…”

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

TW: sexual assault, kidnapping, chile pornography

Would not recommend to anyone who has dealt with or had a close family member of friend deal with any of the above triggers.

Would recommend to people who like a riveting story that has betrayal, lying, confusing evidence, and being surprised that your sleuthing is wrong.

Deals with very heavy topics throughout the whole book. It follows the stories of police/FBI investigators who are trying to find multiple girls who are kidnapped. There is also an element of overcoming personal trials and small-town gossip.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Willow Marrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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

A new series from Karin Slaughter is just what we needed!

Officer Emmy Clifton’s life is a bit stressful. Her husband does nothing but smoke weed, she is basically a single parent, she is about at her breaking point when her best friend’s daughter goes missing during the July 4th fireworks.

Emmy feels guilty because she felt the girl wanted to tell her something but Emmy brushed her off.

Now another girl is missing and things do not look good.

Emmy is about to find out she doesn’t really know anyone in her small hometown and some of these secrets are deadly.

Such vile characters here! I don’t say that in a bad way, because it sure made this suspenseful!

I will eagerly await the next North Falls story!

NetGalley/ William Morrow August 12, 2025

This was definitely a powerfully emotive story, it went places I didn't expect and it felt a little different to her usual books, captivating, compelling and thought provoking, also scary, would recommend to fans of emotional taut thrillers!

WOW! I'm a huge Karin Slaughter fan and just when I think I might be onto something she completely switches things up. This was an incredible book. The story sucks you in from the beginning - having a teenager daughter myself I'm all too familiar with the day to day with a teen but this really makes you stop and question, do you know what your child is doing? This book makes you feel so many different emotions so don't be shocked by the whiplash you'll suffer from. I can't recommend this enough, Karin has done it again.

Karin Slaughter delivers another intense and layered thriller in We Are All Guilty Here. One of the things that I liked about it was its use of multiple points of view—each narrator's voice was distinct, well-developed, and added depth to the story as it unfolded. Slaughter’s ability to create believable, complex characters made the story feel immersive and emotionally charged.

However, some aspects of the narrative brought me out of the story. Major revelations were sometimes introduced abruptly, without the buildup I felt they deserved, which weakened their impact. Additionally, the large number of characters and names made it difficult to keep track of who was who and what their importance to the scene was.

Overall, while the book has its flaws, its compelling characters and shifting perspectives make it an engaging read for fans of psychological thrillers. Overall, this is a 4/5 for me and I would recommend it to fans of the thriller genre. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review We Are All Guilty Here. All thoughts and opinions are my own.