Another cracker from Karin Slaughter - We Are All Guilty Here is Emmy Clifton’s story. Starting on Fourth of July, Madison - the daughter of her best friend - disappears along with her friend and is found murdered. Emmy was one of the last people with eyes on her. Years later another girl disappears in similar circumstances. Can Emmy save her before it’s too late?

In true Slaughter style the characters are interwoven, so many red herrings, more twists and turns than a country road. Emmy isn’t perfect, but she’s tough and determined, a great character.

Thanks to NetGalley for offering me this advance copy, I remain a firm fan of Karin Slaughter’s wonderful storytelling.

Karin Slaughter never disappoints!! After two girls disappeared during a firework show Officer Emmy is on the case! Well, trying to figure out what happens to the girls tragedy strikes between family, and the police trying to find them. There was so much packed into this book, and I loved every detail of it! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

As to be expected, this is a riveting read with polished writing and textured characters - I think readers are always in safe hands with a Karin Slaughter book. We Are All Guilty Here revisits familiar themes from Slaughter's other books and portrays them brilliantly, particularly the sense of living in a very small community, dealing with not-so-progressive ideas, and the abuse and casual mistreatment of women.

The book begins with Madison, a seemingly surly teenager, waiting to meet her friend Cheyenne as the whole town waits for a fireworks show to begin. But when Cheyenne doesn't show up, Madison goes looking for her - and makes a grisly discovery. When both girls go missing, the town engages in a hunt to find them - and old friendships fray as the blame gets thrown around.

I like the fact that we begin with Madison as coming across as unlikeable. And both girls have clearly been involved in some dodgy activities. But as Slaughter - largely via the main character, cop Emmy - continually points out, they are still children. She has to continually return to this point as, along the way of the novel, various male characters insist on focusing on things such as what girls wear, and so on. It's refreshing to have a strong character insist on stressing that young women are not to blame for the violence that men subject them to.

The story unfolds with Emmy and her dad, sheriff Gerald, hunting for the girls. Madison's best friend Hannah, Madison's stepmother, rages at Emmy for failing to protect Madison. It becomes clear that her anger has been simmering for quite some time before this. Emmy is with a waster of a man, Jonah, and despite being assaulted and mistreated by him, she continues to 'put him first' as Hannah puts it.

Again, this element of the book makes for more nuanced and textured characters. Emmy is great and is confident and strong-willed in her job. Yet she still has ended up spending too much of her life tied to a man who drags her down.

The search for the missing girls ends with the discovery of their murdered bodies, but not before it has lifted a lid on the nasty characters of the town. Emmy discovers paedophiles and abusers, at times thinking she's found the killer, but it transpires that there's more than one disgusting man in the town.

The book then shifts to the same town 12 years later. The man jailed for Madison and Cheyenne's killings is being freed. A podcaster claims mistakes made by Emmy and her dad lay behind the 'miscarriage of justice'. Then another girl goes missing in similar circumstances to those 12 years previously, and Emmy has a second investigation to deal with.

The novel is full of characters who are believable from the first sentences. Emmy has a sprawling family that basically run the town, although the family is divided into 'rich' and 'poor' Cliftons, creating various tensions. Over the years her mother has deteriorated with dementia, and her father has grown more frail. She has had to come to terms with those changes while trying to improve her own life.

I found Emmy impressive because I feel like the reader gets a lot of 'sense' of her character while some of the detail is actually quite sparse. For instance (and without wanting to give too much away) we see her in a later relationship with a genuinely caring man, but she has walked away from him, citing too many pressures of caring for her parents. Without knowing much of the detail at all, the reader can understand the dynamic. Similarly we don't know exactly why she ended up with Jonah or what attracted her to him in the first place, but the situation and circumstances are so familiar that we can make sense of it.

She is a very likeable and relatable character, but Slaughter lets the reader fill in the gaps ourselves.

To get back to the plot, there's a great development in the novel where Emmy's sister Jude reappears, who Emmy had previously told was dead. Jude is fantastic - a brilliant investigator and they work well together. The twist, and the ending, are really well done. This is a very readable book that draws you in from the beginning, and has many layers of detail and plot. I'd highly recommend it.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it but it didn't grip me where I was putting off doing things to read it. It's a long book (came up at 9.5 hours for me on my kindle) and there seems to be a lot of unnecessary fluff in the writing but from what I've read this is Karin's writing style. I did feel emotion for the characters though and felt like I did know them well.

It's a solid 3.5 for me.

So this was my first Karin Slaughter book and what an introduction! 5 star read from me for this new crime series.

The book follows Deputy Sheriff, Emmy Lou Clifton, as she investigates the kidnapping of two teenage girls on 4th July from the small town of North Falls, Georgia. For Emmy the case is intensely personal, as one of the young girls, Madison, is the daughter of Emmy’s best friend. More than that, Madison had reached out to Emmy in distress immediately before being abducted…….

What follows is plot told over two separate timelines, 12 years apart. The subject matter is dark, gritty and harrowing to say the least, and Karin Slaughter does not shy away from a graphic and detailed portrayal that may be triggering to some. The character development is superb, with Emmy Lou’s resilience, strengths and vulnerabilities making her a compelling and highly relatable character. The plot twists were numerous, expertly crafted, and kept me turning the pages at pace, as the suspense builds to a cracking conclusion!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK | HarperFiction for the ARC - a brilliant read that is very worthy of my 5* honest review.

#AllGuiltyHere #NetGalley

Thank you netgallery and HarperCollins for the arc of we are all guilty I really enjoyed reading it I enjoyed the crime in it i don’t want to put spoilers in it which crime it was I enjoyed the paced and plot and the characters were good only thing I would change is i don’t think they was a need to repeat the same person full name I skipped reading the last name overall I was a good fully gripping thriller suspense emotional book 4 stars and will pick up more reads from the same author

Another brilliant novel by author Karin Slaughter, whenever I pick up one of her books I always know its going to be a good and gripping read.

I read We Are All Guilty Here in a few days and I loved it.

We follow the story of two missing young women, and are introduced to local police-woman Emmy who has an urge to find these women and solve what has happened to them especially as one of them is her friends daughter so she has a personal connection to this.

I really enjoyed Emmy as a character and the family dynamics that is show-cased in this novel. Karin Slaughter kept me hooked on this brilliant twisty novel and I devoured it.

Thanks to Karin Slaughter, the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Karen Slaughter has done it again! She has created another masterpiece. This is the first book in a gripping new crime series.

Set in the small town of North Falls, where everyone knows everyone and everything, well until at least now. Emmy Clifton has lived here all her life and works for the Country Sheriffs department, when two girls are abducted.

This story is gripping, emotional and captivating. From start to finish you will be left constantly guessing with all the twists and turns, that you won't see coming!

Karin slaughter is one of my favourite authors and this book does not disappoint. Her stories draw you in from early on. The characters are amazing and you really invest and them. The twists and turns keep you on your toes. I would highly recommend this book.

You can always count on Karen Slaughter for a no-holds-barred, gritty crime thriller. This is exactly that, in two parts set 12 years apart. The intensity in this novel is immense, the way that each step of the police investigation is laid out and we are kept at pace without being able to go too fast for fear of missing a step. It's genius storytelling and phenomenal drama.

I dare not say anything about the plot for fear of giving anything away. I just hope there are more books to come with these characters.

Another intriguing mystery by Karin Slaughter one with ever changing plots. A well written storyline leaving you guessing and in suspense until the very end. All I can say is that it is an excellent read and I hope there will be a follow up of the characters in a future book.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter
Published by Harper Collins
Publication Date: 19/6/25

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No spoilers

I’m a great fan of Karin Slaughters books, particularly the Will Trent series. This book does not disappoint. The new characters were immediately appealing and the story involving. It’s a real rollercoaster of a book with a lot of police procedural information which I really like. I couldn’t guess at the ending but it was very satisfying.
Definitely recommended to lovers of crime fiction.

Thanks to the author, publisher and to netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

Love , love love Karin Slaughter and this one is up there with her best.
This is Karin Slaughter at her very best
Brilliant characters and just what you've learnt to expect from the author with an exciting plot with many twists, she delivers everything you expect for great thrilling read.
Brilliant .

We Are All Guilty Here delves into the claustrophobic, frightening, and very often backward mentality that permeates the locals in so many small towns, especially those where the heat eats through your clothing and you can hardly breathe. That 'this here's ma brother Darryl, this is ma other brother Darryl' sort of thing. Unsurprisingly, North Falls is one of those towns.

So I haven't read a Karin Slaughter in a very long time, but I remember them always being very close to the bone. Good, but gritty, not shy to zero straight in on topics that many find distasteful or insensitive. The same can be said for this one, and although the subject matter was truly harrowing. it was handled fairly well.

I was a bit shocked on more than one occasion (trigger warnings galore) so be warned. I had an inkling early on about who the evil son-of-a-bitch was, but then discounted the notion. For reasons you'll soon discover.

The people in North Falls are, for the most part, dreadful. A lot of my reading material these days has me constantly asking myself if it's possible that so many people in one place can actually be so vile. The secrets, the lies, the bullying, the things they get up to, the horrors that lie just beneath the surface.... I shudder to think.

I liked Emmy Lou a lot, and Cole even more so. They are relatable and real. So is Jude.. Dylan and Hannah sort of soften the rough edges a bit.

I look forward to the next one.

Happily brought back into the cosy, not-at-all-cosy world of Karin Slaughter.

The book pulls big punches right from the start and keeps up the pace throughout. The split timelines work well to heighten the feeling of hopelessness, building anger at the perpetrator until retribution.

I read this in less than 48 hours, eagerly waiting for Karin’s signature twists. While it did not have my favourite reveal from her collection, it was strong enough to make me chastise myself for thinking I had figured it out so early on.

This was a great setup for a new series, and I am already invested in the new leads. Strong, well-rounded, multifaceted women carry the story, with hints of future long-lasting storylines mixed into the single book thriller. I look forward to reading more as they navigate their world. Happy again to see a mention of the GBI, could we have more crossovers and Easter eggs? I see you, Mr Culpepper.

We Are All Guilty Here is another phenomenal 5 star thriller from Karin Slaughter,
Disturbing, detailed, gripping and full of suspense.
You won't be disappointed.

Favo author Karin Slaughter starts a new serie.

No Will and Sara, but new characters. Will I like them like as much as Will, Sara and the others?!
This book spends most of it introducing the new characters, their background and emotions. The crime part, the murders and investegation is only a small part of the book. Personally I didnt like that, for me the crime part is the most important. But the part that was crime, is well done. The book is also less gruesome than other books from Karin.

Overall it is a good start to a new serie and I look forward to it. Hopefully is the next a typical Karin Slaughter!

Absofrickenlutely PHENOMENAL. I couldn’t put this down… it’s all the things, a rollercoaster of thrill, heart stopping, jaw dropping, and more! This takes off flying from page one and keeps you on the edge of your seat till the very last page. Not for the feint of heart. An absolute masterpiece. Amazing characters, a terrifying plot and impeccable writing. One of my fave ever!

In the town of North Falls, the Clifton family go back generations. Chief Deputy Emmy Clifton is one of Karin Slaughter's new characters and I hope to see more of her in future books. While I have always enjoyed the Will and Sara series, it is great to get new characters.

We Are All Guilty Here primarily revolves around the kidnapping and murder of two North Falls teenagers, Madison and Cheyenne. It transpires that both girls knew dangerous secrets and were themselves living secret lives..

I thoroughly recommend this book. I was hooked immediately. KS draws you in and you just keep turning the pages. Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy.

The first in a new series of novels from Karin Slaughter which I found reminisent of her earlier Grant County series. Set in Clifton County, named after the Clifton family which this story revolves around. I do love a family centred plot and Karin is the master.

Here we have two 15 year old girls go missing, Emmy Lou Clifton is the Deputy tasked with finding them, with help from the Sheriff, her father Gerald Clifton. He is a great support to Emmy, with his systematic approach always asking her "What do we know?", "What do we think we know?" to get to the heart of the problem. These simple questions put the reader in the room, reasoning through the case with Emmy and Gerald. These are great characters, and through the story you get to know their relationship, backstories and their large family.

Just as you start to feel you've heard this all before and know where its going, BAM! Karin throws you a curve ball. She makes you care so much about these people and then she rips your heart out, gets you to shed tears alongside them. Its so beautifully written.

As with most Karin Slaughter books, there's some quite graphic descriptions which are not for the faint hearted, but these are needed as you get to experience the worst lows which make those high moments so much more special.

Full of excellent, deep and well developed characters, a rivetting storyline, plenty of graphic detail and heart-jerking moments. This is a class act. I often think I should try and write a story, then I read a book by a master of their craft like Karin and realise why I don't!

A true masterclass in story-telling. I absolutely adored this book, I loved Emmy and family, friends and colleagues. I loved following their thought processes, emotions and trauma. I can't wait to escape to their world again.

I would like to convey my thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for providing the opportunity to review this novel. All opinions are my own.

We Are All Guilty here is due to be released in the UK on 19th June 2025.

Reviewed March 2025