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!

My first Karin Slaughter book did not disappoint. A great thriller with lots of twists and turns. I was eager to see what was going to unfold. Definitely some dark topics mentioned, so make sure to check trigger warnings.


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I guess I am old news when reading my feedback about Karin Slaughter. I have and never will leave her bad feedback, she is smart, funny, scary and suspenseful beyond words. I can't wait every time she has a new book to get my hands on it. This is what's funny, each review I always say she has outdone herself with this book! Ha! I gotta say it again! This is her best book! I loved it so much! How can she be so smart and keep a person hanging on the edge always to make you go all the way through the book and wonder each time what is the mystery or man in this case. I didn't come close to guessing the answer before the end. It was electric to me. She had me crying and laughing all the time. If I went one way then she went the other. Sure I live in the same state she does and have read all her books but still it's crazy how good she is. The story is about a serial killer who preys on young girls and yet it's also about family with the ups and downs they have. I hate to tell everything about a book because it is so much better to read yourself and be amazed by it. Trust me you will love it. How I wish they were even longer. I seriously think I should start over with her 1st book again. Maybe it will be brand new to me! Thank you Netgallery for letting me read another bestseller. You make my life so happy.

This was my first Karin Slaughter book. I’ve had some of them on my TBR for a while but haven’t been in the mood. So glad I read this one!

This was a long read but totally worth it! It was tense and emotional. I stayed up late a few nights not wanting to put this down! I loved the attention to detail and how in depth everything was. I really enjoyed how because of the dual timelines we got to see how everyone changed. We get to see how they could’ve handled the previous case differently and what was missed the first time around.

I will definitely be reading more of her books! I think this is great for anyone who loves a good thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this early!

Karin Slaughter’s We Are All Guilty Here kicks off her brand-new North Falls series with a gripping dual-timeline thriller. The story begins with a haunting tragedy—two high school girls kidnapped and murdered in a tight-knit town. Over a decade later, Emmy Clifton, now acting Chief of Police, is pulled back into the chilling echoes of the past when another teen girl goes missing in eerily similar circumstances. What follows is a tense, emotional unraveling of long-buried secrets, small-town loyalties, and a past that refuses to stay buried.

As a huge Karin Slaughter fan, I truly believe she can do no wrong—and this newest series proves it. While I definitely miss Will Trent (always), I’m already obsessed with North Falls and fully committed to Emmy Clifton’s story. Emmy felt a bit too emotionally reactive in the first half, but considering her youth and deep personal connection to the case, it felt real—and her character growth by the end is massive. I’m hooked, not just on her, but on her whole complicated family dynamic.

I partially guessed the ending, but in classic Slaughter fashion, that didn’t stop me from staying up way too late turning pages. At nearly 500 pages, it’s a long read—but totally worth it. The atmosphere, pacing, and emotional stakes are all there, setting the stage for what I know will be a phenomenal series. Trigger warnings apply, of course—it’s not as graphic as Pretty Girls, but definitely more intense than The Good Daughter.

North Falls is officially an auto-read for me. Can’t wait for the next one.


We Are All Guilty Here comes out August 12, 2025. Huge thank you to William Morrow for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
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