4.25 stars

Set in a small Georgia town where everybody knows everybody, We Are All Guilty Here is a gripping, emotionally layered police procedural that begins with the disappearance of two teenage girls on the 4th of July. The town’s police force is a family affair, with the long-serving and beloved Sheriff, his daughter as the deputy Chief, and her son in the ranks. As the investigation unfolds, friendships are tested, loyalties are questioned, tempers flare and lies abound. Parents of teenage daughters beware: this one is tough to read.

This is the kind of story that keeps its cards close to the chest. Clues are revealed gradually, and while the central investigation delivers a few surprises along the way, the real twist doesn’t hit until the very end, and it’s a stunner. The mystery is compelling on its own, but what sets this book apart is the emotional weight of its relationship dynamics. Watching characters grapple with fractured relationships and the pressure of expectation brings a raw depth to the story.

If you enjoy police procedurals with a strong emotional core, complex characters, and a community full of suspects, this one is for you. Karin Slaughter delivers another dark, suspenseful read that’s as much about relationships as what happens in an investigation. Prepare to feel every emotion and question every turn.

A relentless small‑town thriller filled with grit, guilt, and gut punches from page one. Set in North Falls, Georgia, the novel begins with the disappearance of two teenage girls during Fourth‑of‑July fireworks — and unravels layer by layer into a dark tapestry of secrets and suspicion.

Deputy Emmy Clifton, driven by regret over ignoring a plea for help from one of the girls, becomes the emotional core of this story. Her journey hits heartbreaking highs and devastating lows as she digs into the lives of the town’s residents—and confronts the truth that no one is blameless. Slaughter’s depiction of North Falls is haunting—equal parts charming and claustrophobic. Emmy is complex and compelling—driven by trauma yet grounded in guilt. Plot twists land with surgical precision—just when you think you’ve got it figured out, she pulls the rug.The story can be brutal: themes of child abduction and violence may be triggering for some. Still, the payoff is brutal, emotional, and utterly unforgettable. Whether you're a longtime Slaughter fan or new to her work, We Are All Guilty Here proves she’s still writing at the top of her game.

I absolutely loved this one.

Karin Slaughter never disappoints! This was another wild ride with multiple twist you didn’t see coming. If you are in a reading slump this is a good book to pick up.

Thank you #netgalley for the advanced copy!

“We Are All Guilty Here” is a suspenseful thriller and it definitely keeps you on your toes. Just when you think you know, you actually don’t. The twists, the unexpected story plots, all the way to the last chapter, is more thrilling and shocking than you could ever imagine. What an amazing read!

I've only read one book from Karin Slaughter so I thought now would be a great time to read more because this is the first in a brand new series from her. We Are All Guilty Here is a well written and TENSE novel about two missing girls and the officer with a personal connection who will do everything to see they are found. As with the last book I've read from Slaughter I found this book to be emotional as it deals with some tough topics AND trauma. Readers should check out other reviews and any other potential trigger warnings if you're bothered by darker themes.

All in all, I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to seeing where Slaughter takes the series. I definitely flew through this one despite the longer page count and was full invested in the story.

While this was a slow burn in the beginning, I truly enjoyed Karin Slaughter's newest series. I can't wait for more from North Falls. This book was filled with mystery, heartbreak, and deceit. I would highly recommend you add this to your TBR immediately!

This was my first book by Karin Slaughter. It did not disappoint. At first, I was like it’s kind of slow but each chapter was a set up for more. The book had me guessing at every clue and every twist and turn that book gave. I didn’t expect the book to end the way it did, but the unexpected ending was welcomed. Overall, I gave it a 4 stars. I don’t love small town type of story lines usually, but I enjoyed the writing style of the author and the story. I could definitely see this being a show or movie

Thank you William Morrow for the gifted arc and finished copy.
I could not put this book down. I loved the small southern town vibes, the family with cousins, aunts, and uncles in every branch of the town.
These two FMC are strong, badass women. I love a female detective book and this is a promising start to a new series.

Karin Slaughter... got me hooked from the beginning, as usual!

I grew up in a tiny town. They are the safest place, right?? As it turns out, no, not always.
These girls did what all kids do in a small town, or any town really. Everyone knows everyone, and so teenagers sneaking around is pretty normal. In this case, things didn't turn out the way the girls planned.

This books is disturbing and twisty, with Karin's clever writing keeping the reader on their toes.

I can't wait to ready more about Deputy Emmy in this series!

Many thanks to Netgalley UK, Harper Collins UK, and Karin Slaughter for the early read!

I’ve read all of Karin Slaughter’s books so when I saw this one, I added it without reading the description and went into it pretty much blind. And I was not disappointed. Like all of Slaughter’s books, bad things happen and she’s not one to shy away from creating a compelling story around those bad things and the people who try to stop them from happening. In this new series, we’re introduced to North Falls, a small town where everyone knows everyone and the Clifton family name is certainly known by all. Enter: Emmy Clifton, the deputy sheriff, following in her father’s footsteps, trying to raise a young child with a deadbeat husband and too much on her plate. Mistakes are made. Two young teen girls disappear. Slaughter tells a story that alternates between a police procedural and a character study on the aftermath of trauma and the lasting effects it has on people. When one of the characters states that “we are all guilty here” it’s clear that forgiveness is as much about forgiving oneself as it is forgiving others.

I don’t want to give too much away with this one. I’m tough when it comes to rating books and this is one of the few 5-start mystery/thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I think it’s Slaughter’s best and I’m really excited to read more of the North Falls series. While I adore Sara and Will, it was nice to have a change. Emmy isn’t like either one of them and I found myself really wanting to know more about Emmy, especially as the book went on. Again, I don’t want to give it away but there are some other secondary characters that I think could lead an entire book so maybe we’ll get that too. All good things.

Recommended for anyone who is a fan of the author, police procedurals, mystery/thrillers with character development, and small towns.

Thank you, Net Galley, for this ARC. I thought this was a great summer mystery. The story starts with Emmy investigating the missing persons case of Madison and Cheyenne. Unfortunately, this case has a tragic ending. Twelve years later, we see someone who is copycatting this case. This leads to Emmy working with Special Agent Jude. They then reopen the case to see if they can solve who actually did it and what lead to it. The story keeps you on your toes with twist and turns that ultimately reveal family and town secrets. If you are looking for a good popcorn thriller, this is the book for you as its fast paced, full of great characters, and emotional grit.

By far the best book I have read this summer! Many twists and turns and turns that I did not see coming! Definitely recommend grabbing this book it will keep you up way way your bedtime trying to figure out what happened! I definitely did not expect the twist in this story!!

Karin Slaughter is a must read author for me. I pick up one of her books and I know it’s going to be dark, gritty, smart and suspenseful. This book did not disappoint.

North Falls is a small southern town where everyone knows everyone. On the 4th of July two teenage girls go missing. The local police department is called to the scene of the crime. This case becomes personal for Emmy as the missing person is her best friends teenage daughter.

I thought this book was interesting. Karin has a knack for developing the town and her characters in way that makes you want to see what happens next. I’m excited for the next installment in this series.

I love the Will Trent series, so I was very interested to read this beginning of a new series by Karin Slaughter. The story itself was an interesting one focusing on Depth Sheriff Emmy Clifton in the small town of North Falls, Georgia. Following the annual Fourth of July celebration, two local teenaged girls are missing : Madison, the stepdaughter of Emmy’s best friend Hannah, and Madison’s friend Cheyenne. As Emmy and her father, Sheriff Gerald Clifton, work to solve the case of these missing girls, many town (and Clifton family) secrets are revealed, all of which are built upon and carry through to the end of the novel. While I found the storyline to be an excellent one, I have too many quibbles to make this anywhere near a 4-star read for me: too slow of a pace, too long and drawn out in parts, too many characters making it difficult to remember who’s who, too much seemingly unnecessary detail about members of the Clifton family, and a plot that goes too much into the weeds too often. Nonetheless, I remain a Karin Slaughter fan, and will definitely pick up one of her forthcoming novels again.

Wow, I absolutely LOVED this book!! I’ve long been a fan of Karin Slaughter, both her standalone works and her Will Trent series. This new book appears to be the first installment of a new series and it did 👏 not 👏 disappoint 👏!!

WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE is a fast paced, utterly engrossing mystery/police procedural that captured my attention immediately. It’s an absolute page turner- I simply HAD to know what happened next! I don’t want to say too much or give anything away, so I’ll just say it’s been a long time since a book has gripped me so completely that I had a hard time putting it down.

The setting of North Falls and the community that lives there was a rich and refreshing backdrop for this story. I loved learning about the characters and unraveling the layers of the mystery right alongside them. I especially appreciate how Slaughter writes her female characters- they’re always layered, flawed, complicated, REAL people and I absolutely love it. Like all Slaughter stories, there’s a healthy amount of family drama and conflict that adds realism and dimension to the story. I found myself aching for many characters throughout the book and I can’t WAIT to see where Slaughter takes them next!

Overall this was a fabulous mystery and a great start to a brand new Karin Slaughter series! Five big, huge stars for this amazing book I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who enjoys mysteries or police procedurals. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

In We Are All Guilty Here, Officer Emmy Clifton is desperate to find two missing teenage girls who vanished during the Fourth of July fireworks. As she searches, long-buried secrets and betrayals rise to the surface, and Emmy realizes no one in North Falls is as innocent as they seem.

This was my first Karin Slaughter novel, and I requested it on NetGalley because I love police procedural stories and suspense. While this one didn’t fully hit the mark for me, there were still elements I appreciated. The small-town setting creates a tense, claustrophobic backdrop, and Slaughter weaves in layered family drama that keeps the stakes personal for Emmy. The investigation itself builds plenty of tension as secrets unravel, but I found the pacing slow at times, with lengthy descriptions and so many members of the Clifton family to keep track of that it was easy to lose sight of the central mystery. Some of the crimes were also tough to read about, and the reveal of the culprit didn’t deliver the big payoff I was hoping for. Still, readers who enjoy detailed small-town mysteries with messy family dynamics may find this one worth picking up. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

First I would like to thank the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my second Karin Slaughter book and I am definitely a fan now. I am sad that this is only the first book in the North Falls series because it means I have to wait to return to this world! I think this book did an excellent job setting up the town and characters that we will care about as the foundation for the series. My heart still breaks for these characters and I can't wait for the next North Falls chapter!

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. As a Karin Slaughter fan I was absolutely thrilled for this opportunity. Set in North Falls, a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business the Cliftons are a family who are impossible to miss. After all, North Fall is settled nicely in Clifton County. As fireworks kick off Fourth of July celebrations, a long time tradition in North Falls, Emmy Clifton a local police officer is tasked with keeping the residents safe. The only problem is that under the mask of the explosions, two teenage girls vanish and Emmy is determined to find them. Faced with the challenges posed by living, working, and falling in love in a small town Emmy works tirelessly to make sense of the crime. When numerous twists and turns lead her to places she could have never suspected. In true Slaughter fashion, this book delivered the unthinkable twists up until the last page. The pacing was a little sticky for me about half way through the book as new characters and historical circumstances were introduced. Some time taken for in depth descriptions felt like it slowed the pace as well but it did pick up to wrap up the book and truly was a page turner with a very “Slaughter,” ending that we all know and love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Dark, Gripping Masterpiece of Suspense

Karin Slaughter once again proves why she’s a powerhouse in the thriller genre with We Are All Guilty Here. This novel is a tense, emotionally charged ride from start to finish, blending complex characters, razor-sharp plotting, and devastating secrets into a story that is both compulsively readable and deeply unsettling.

Slaughter’s talent for exploring the darker corners of human nature shines in this book. The characters are flawed, raw, and painfully real. Each one carries their own burden of guilt, and as their stories unfold, the reader is pulled into a web of moral ambiguity that challenges notions of justice, truth, and redemption. Just when you think you have it figured out, Slaughter delivers another twist—each one more jaw-dropping than the last.

Beyond the suspense, what elevates this novel is its emotional depth. Themes of trauma, accountability, and survival are explored with unflinching honesty. Slaughter doesn't shy away from the brutal truths of human behavior, but she handles them with nuance and empathy.

We Are All Guilty Here is not just a thriller—it’s a psychological gut punch that lingers long after the final page. A must-read for fans of character-driven suspense that dares to ask hard questions about the price of guilt and the cost of silence.

Highly recommended.

Karin slaughter is fantastic at writing real women. They are complicated and not always likeable, and i find it refreshing to have characters that seem so realistic. Emmy and Jude certainly fall into this category. I struggled to connect with them as main characters, and to understand the decisions they make and even some of the feelings they express. There were a few times where I wished I could just tell Emmy to get it together! The story takes place in a county that her family practically owns and yet she never really exudes any type of confidence, especially when it comes to her job. It's like she was always waiting for her dad to tell her what to do. But, with that being said, I know that I didn't love Sara Linton right away and she is one of my all time favorite literary characters, so I'm open minded to see where Karin takes her story. I found Jude to be more likeable, but found her whole back story to be a twist that has been done a million times. It only took a few mentions of Emmy & Jude's age gap for me to spot the whole "my sister is actually my mom" twist. It's a little overdone.

The underlying mystery of Madison & Cheyenne was interesting, but I thought it got lost in the book. Maybe it's because there was a lot going on with the multiple timelines, but by the time we found out what happened to them, I had lost some interest.

Overall, this is definitely not my favorite and not her best, but I am looking forward to this new series and seeing where this family ends up.