Absolutely brilliant slice of small town life, where everyone knows everyone else. About quarter of the way through, the story takes an unexpected turn with the introduction of another main character. The plot is fantastic, real edge of your seat reading. Loved the characters too.

This is the beginning of a new series, that I was pleased to discover the new characters -from Gerald Clifton, Emmy Lou, his daughter and Cole, his grandson. It was an enjoyable read and it was unputdownable. It was told over different time periods with missing girls in the past and in the present. Emmy is a determined police officer and does her hardest to solve the crimes. It was gripping, gritty, full of twists and turns, with an ending that I never saw coming.

Karen Slaughter is one of my favourite authors so diving into a new series is always exciting.
"What do we know ?" "What do we think ?" "What are we missing?", these were the mantras that Sheriff Gerald Clifton passed down to his daughter Emmy who was now his deputy.
Emma had grown up in the small town of North Fells, Georgia, her father was well respected, she had big boots to fill.

When two young girls disappeared at a time when all the town was at a firework display, Emma was going to be pushed to limits that she didn't think was possible. One of the girls was Madison Dalrymple, the daughter of her best friend, Hannah, guilt was tearing Emma apart, Madison had asked to speak to her just before she vanished but Emma was so consumed with her miserable marriage and abusive husband that she had put her own unhappy marriage before her duty.
This story is not a sprint, it's a marathon and sometimes it seems to drag a bit but it doesn't deter from a story that spans twelve years, twelve years in which her father and mother become frail, twelve years when her best friend doesn't spoken to her, twelve years after which the man convicted of both murders had been released............had they got the wrong man ?
When another girl disappears in similar circumstances Emma is determined not to fail again, she would bring this girl back home to her parents or die in the attempt, this was personal.
Karen Slaughter has obviously done her research into police procedure and psychological murders and it shows, she writes with such detail.
I really enjoyed this book and it's unexpected twist at the end and I look forward to reading more of Emma Clifton.
I received a free copy off this book and my review is voluntary.

A new character with a new series started. Great read.

Emmy and her family are big forces in her local community. That is, Police Forces.

When two girls go missing, it sparks an urgent hunt for Madison and Cheyenne and ultimately, the truth. Emmy leads the hunt but time is critical, Especially when people aren't telling the truth.

This book will keep you guessing, You will want to read more. and more.

Bravo.

This is a great crime thriller, and the start of a new series by Karin Slaughter.
When two teenage girls go missing during a firework display, Emmy Clifton and her father, the Sheriff, quickly get to work trying to find them.
North Falls is a very close knit community and everyone is keen to help find them, and when Emmy finds their bodies, they all want justice.
We then move forward a few years and another teenager has gone missing.
Emmy’s father is struggling with his health and her mother is suffering with dementia, so when her sister shows up, it’s a shock for all the family.
Emmy has never met Jude and the introductions are a bit frosty despite Jude being there to help find the missing girl.
This is a great read but it’s a bit of a slow burner. I’m looking forward to seeing how the characters develop though in the next book.
Thanks to Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this book.

For the last three Mines I have read and reviewed a new Karin Slaughter book. For me this dark tale of abduction was far to detailed and perhaps if edited to half the length would have been more enjoyable. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘We Are All Guilty Here’ written by Karin Slaughter in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Two teenage girls, Cheyenne and Madison, are abducted while everyone is out watching the fireworks in North Falls, where Gerald Clifton is the sheriff and his daughter Emmy the deputy. The story jumps to twelve years later when another girl goes missing and the investigations into the two teenagers are rehashed causing Emmy to remember the guilt she felt at letting down Madison and her step-mum Hannah.

‘We Are All Guilty Here’ is the first in a brand new series with a plot that’s filled with drama, suspense and twists and turns. I like Emmy who’s having to deal with her disagreeable husband Jonah, as well as her large close-knit family who give the story a ‘small town’ feel. I was gripped by what was happening in the first half of the story but then it slowed down and with so much unnecessary detail I started to lose interest especially as the book seemed overly long. Despite this, it’s well-written and kept me interested as I tried, but failed, to work out what had happened to Cheyenne and Madison and by whom, and the final chapters threw up a surprise that I definitely wasn’t expecting. I’m very much looking forward to the next novel and seeing how Emmy’s character progresses.

We Are All Guilty Here grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let you go till the last. In between there are enough twists and turns to make you dizzy.

The story is set in North Falls, Georgia, a small town dominated by the Clifton family. The main character is Emmy Clifton, the Deputy Sheriff, working in the police department with her father, the sheriff. Two girls, one the daughter of Emmy’s best friend, are kidnapped from the Fourth of July fireworks and what follows is a breakneck race to find them, combined with a family drama. I’m not going into any more detail as I don’t want to give any spoilers but honestly, what an amazing book.

The plot is intricate and beautifully handled, with genuine surprises and wholly believable characters. It’s an awful subject, obviously, but nothing is ever sensationalised and it’s all handled with great sensitivity. I honestly couldn’t put this down and am already looking forward to more in the series.

A first class read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

I love Karin Slaughter books and I enjoyed reading her Will Trent and Sara Linton/Grant County series, so when I received this book for review in Netgalley, I was really excited to read it. This is also the first book in a new series - "North Falls", and it feels good to be reading a series right at the start, no?

Like most of Slaughter's books, this one too falls under "mystery/police procedural" genre and combines both family drama and suspense seamlessly. The story starts with the disappearance of two fifteen year old girls in the town of North Falls on the fourth of July amidst the firework celebrations happening in the town. The local sheriff, Gerald Clifton and his daughter, who is also the deputy, Emmy, immediately start investigating into what looks like a case of dual kidnapping. The Clifton family is prominent and goes back several generations in the county and even the county is named after them-Clifton County. So along with the police investigations around the missing girls, the book also follows the family dynamics between Emmy and the other family members.

The book had many twists that kept my interest captured in the plot. The middle section of the book has a little slower pace with the narration jumping to twelve years in future when another girl goes missing and all the details of the old case are rehashed. But then another character, Jude Archer, a recently retired FBI agent gets involved in the case and the pace picks up. The ending and the revelation of the final twists were good and completely gasp-worthy.

So obviously I enjoyed reading this book and Slaughter has given another series to look forward to.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of the book.

Karin Slaughter, Queen of Crime, is back with another compelling crime thriller!!

I am a big fan of Ms Slaughter's work and I was so excited to get an early copy of her new book, and of course I was not disappointed. She absolutely NAILED it!

We Are All Guilty Here is the first book in a brand new series and I am so here for it! Gritty and intense, this intricately woven plot had me hooked from the first page. It is captivating, raw and emotional, with some jaw dropping twists. The character development is top notch, as always, and it is filled with suspense keeping the reader on their toes. I can not wait for more North Falls!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an eArc to read and review. Expected publication date for We Are All Guilty Here is 19/6/25

4.5 stars

This book truly gripped me from the beginning, we jumped straight into mayhem with no build up and I love it! As the story goes on and things unfold, there are just so many family secrets that emerge and it made me want to just keep reading. I used to love reading Karin Slaughters books many years ago and I dont know why I ever stopped because this was just such a great read. If you're into twisty crime thrillers then this is a must read.

Gripping, shocking, tense, thrilling and hard to put down, Karin Slaughter delivered with We Are All Guilty Here! Karin Slaughter does not shy away from difficult subjects or scenes. She is known for her gritty and raw subject matter and intense storylines. She excels at police procedurals and creating complex characters dealing with real life issues. Her books tend to grab me from the very first page, and this book was no exception! In We Are All Guilty Here, two teenage girls have gone missing, and Officer Emmy Clifton will find herself investigating a case which hits close to home.

North Falls is a small town where everyone knows everyone. They are a tight knit community and when two local girls go missing, Emmy and her father Walter (the town Sheriff) are on the case! It's a tough, heat breaking case where one of the girls taken is Emmy's best friend's daughters. All involved with be affected by the girls being taken. In a town where everyone knows your name, everyone feels and sees your pain.

Years later, another girl is taken leaving Emmy and the rest of the police force scratching their heads while investigating the latest missing girl. Whoever said time heals all wounds, never lost someone they love. The town is still reeling from the last two girls who went missing, and now with another girl missing, their hearts have been ripped open yet again! The stakes are high and Jude, a recently retired FBI officer has returned to town and offers to help...

Whew! This was an addictive police procedural, but it was also a family tragedy affecting several families in North Falls. This book is full of secrets, trauma, lies, and loss Perhaps those in North Falls don't know their neighbors that well after all. Many of the characters will suffer loss while others will get redemption. The pages are dripping with tension, pain, loss, and grief. The pages are also filled with courage, strength, determination, and love.

We Are All Guilty Here is a firecracker of a book and the first in Karin Slaughter's new North Falls series!!!! I can't wait to read what comes next!

Wonderfully written, well thought out, mysterious, and tense!

When two teenage girls vanish during the July 4th fireworks, the small town of Clifton is shaken to its core. In a place where everyone knows everyone—or so they thought—suspicions begin to swirl. Investigating officer Emmy Clifton was the last person to see one of the girls, and as the town starts questioning how well they really know each other, Emmy wrestles with her own guilt, wondering if she could have done something to prevent the disappearances.

As a long time fan of Karin Slaughter, I'm always keen to get an arc of her novels, and this one was no exception. It took me a couple of chapters to settle in—figuring out the relationships between the characters and getting a feel for Emmy—but once the investigation gained momentum, I was hooked. Slaughter’s signature pacing and plotting were, as always, impeccable. The twists kept me turning the pages, and I didn’t fully unravel the mystery until it was laid out for me.

Emmy grew on me throughout the book. She’s a complex character, and I enjoyed peeling back her layers. One of the standout elements was her dynamic with her father—their bond and investigative work together were fascinating. I also appreciated how Slaughter introduced us to the wider Clifton family, which felt like the perfect foundation for a potential series.

As a standalone, this was an engrossing read, but if it does evolve into a series, I’ll be first in line. North Falls and its residents have plenty more secrets to uncover, and I can’t wait to see where Emmy’s journey takes her next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Such a good book. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read early. The story was totally engrossing from start to finish with lots of secrets slowly being exposed. I look forward to ready lots more about Emmy and her family.

Having read lots of the authors previous books I was eager to get stuck in to the first instalment of her brand new crime thriller series set in the small town of North Falls and featuring the main character, Officer Emmy Clifton.
In her usual style Karin Slaughter develops a whole host of flawed and compelling characters alongside an utterly gripping and suspenseful plot.
When two young girls go missing during July 4th celebrations Emmy , alongside other members of the Clifton family, throws herself into trying to discover what happened on a day that rocked the whole community and fractured relationships across numerous families and friendship groups. Twelve years on and another missing girl investigation triggers the initial case to be re-visited and brings with it a new investigator who knows more about Emmy than she is initially aware. Who can and can't be trusted in this small community and just how far will some people go to protect themselves and their families?
Twisty, dark, poignant and utterly gripping. Definitely not one to miss.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this highly recommended book.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter is a gripping book packed with tension, secrets, and unexpected twists.

When a teenage girl goes missing in North Falls, Emmy Clifton finds herself at the heart of a community unraveling. What starts as a typical summer night spirals into a chilling search that forces Emmy to question everything she thought she knew about her neighbours and herself.

This was a brilliant read with a great plot that kept me hooked from the start. Twisty, suspenseful, and full of surprises, I was completely gripped. Karin Slaughter does a fantastic job building tension and revealing the darker layers of small-town life. It was a real page-turner!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Karin Slaughter for an ARC of this fantastic book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Karin Slaughter for an ARC of “We Are All Guilty Here”. I am very grateful for the opportunity to read this novel.

The master of crime fiction has done it again and introduces us to a brand new mystery in the North Falls series that takes place in a small town in where everybody knows everybody. When two teenage girls are abducted, the entire town is turned upside down. We follow along as Officer Emmy Clifton works to bring the girls home all while uncovering secrets of her small town that she never expected.

Every small town has its secrets and this one is no different as Emmy is determined to find out the truth. Slaughter carefully crafts this story of new characters with twists and turns you won’t see coming! I am looking forward to reading and learning more and Emmy and Jude as this series progresses.

If you want a well written, twisty crime thriller then Karin Slaughter is an instant recommend from me. I recently finished and enjoyed This Is Why We Lied which is part of the Will Trent series, and I was excited to start the first book in her brand-new series – We Are All Guilty Here.

When teenage girls Madison and Cheyenne vanish, Officer Emmy Clifton is tasked with finding them before it’s too late. The stakes are high as Madison is her best friend’s daughter – but what exactly were the girls mixed up in?

We Are All Guilty Here is certainly not a light or quick read - it’s very involved and twisted - there are a lot of strands and red herrings, but in Karin Slaughter’s capable hands nothing feels too confusing. It deals with difficult topics and it’s a sad story, but it’s nuanced, and nothing feels just included for shock value. There is also a large time jump in the narrative halfway through which completely changes the focus of the plot, but even this felt like it fitted well within the storyline.

I did feel that one of the characters introduced in this latter half – Jude, seemed to be introduced as if she was a character that perhaps readers should know more about. As I was reading, I wondered if the family had been a part of another one of Slaughter’s thrillers. However, more secrets were slowly revealed, and due to this, I don’t think that these are characters that had been introduced before.

The standalone plot is wrapped up well, but I think there is still plenty more to explore from Emmy, Jude and the Clifton family. This is the first book in the North Falls series, and I am excited for the next instalment.

Overall, We Are All Guilty Here is another strong read from Karin Slaughter – full of small-town drama, dark intrigue and a twisty plot. Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK – Harper Fiction for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A pedophile on the loose. The daughter of police officer Emmy’s best friend goes missing and Emmy tries to solve the mystery, with help from her ex-cop father. The characters are well-drawn, many flawed and vulnerable. Emmy has a loser husband. She lives in a small town where everyone knows your business. Hurtful things are said as she tried to solve the case. Many years later there’s a copycat murder. A good start to a new series by the aptly-named Karin Slaughter.

Goodness this was a long book! Peopled with interesting characters and full of family and community dynamics the twisty plot had me in the police offices trying to solve the cases with them, but, for me, it would have been so much better as 2 books.
Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book.