Let me start by saying I am a huge Karin Slaughter fan, so was excited to get the chance to read the new book.

Wow, what can I say, was absolutely blown away by this one.

Officer Emmy Clifton is a deputy in the town of North Falls where her dad is the local Sheriff, two girls disappear from the town's 4th of July celebrations, one of the missing girls is the stepdaughter of Emmy's best friend Hannah.

An arrest is made but then the book jumps forward 12 years when another girl disappears

Superb, kept me guessing the whole time, and I had to stay up until gone midnight to finish the book.

Highly recommended

Karin Slaughter has long been one of my favourite authors so I was very excited to read We Are All Guilty Here, the first book in a new series featuring Deputy Sheriff Emmy Clifton. It’s set in North Falls, Georgia and the novel opens the night two teenage girls Madison and Cheyenne go missing. It’s set over two time periods, during the search for the missing girls and 12 years later when another teenage girl disappears.
This is an absolutely epic thriller, it’s Karin Slaughter at her best and reminded me of my favourite series - Grant County featuring Jeffrey and Sara.
I loved the Georgia setting and I felt that I was there in the intense heat of the small town of North Falls. As with all of Slaughter’s novels the characterisation is excellent, I loved Emmy and her son Cole and Slaughter brilliantly portrays complicated family relationships and past trauma.
It’s a long novel but it’s so well plotted and paced that I was completely drawn into it.
A thoughtful and compelling novel and I felt bereft when I’d finished it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

This was a brilliant read which for me was kind of a book of two halves with the second undoubtedly being the most gripping. Emmy is a great character and part of a very influential family in her local area and very influenced by her dad who is the local sheriff. The investigation into the two missing girls was very tense and the relationship between Emmy and her best friend added a lot of tension. This is a very well written police procedural but the shocking events 12 years later and the introduction of Jude turned a good read into an excellent read for me and i was engrossed. I had figured out one element if the story but the complexities were way more than I’d expected and definitely more horrifying. I can’t wait to see how the dynamic between Emmy and Jude develops as it was really fabulous in this plus I loved Jude’s attitude and skill set. This is an outstanding start to a new series with a great small town location and complex characters and relationships.

Deputy Sherrif Emmy Clifton-Lang knows that in most child abductions the child is killed within 24 hours. It’s now nearly two hours since the two girls were last seen. Emmy’s father, Gerald, is the Sherrif of North Falls, a small town in the county of Clifton, South West Georgia. Clifton County is named after an earlier relative. Crimes like this don’t happen in small towns where everyone knows everything about everybody; except this one has. Practically the whole town was out at the Independence Day fair and had been sitting out watching the fireworks display scheduled to start at nine, and fifteen year old Madison had been there until then. Her best friend Cheyenne had been due to meet her but hadn’t turned up. And now they are both missing, their bikes dumped nearby; next to a large pool of blood – too much blood! The clock is ticking. There are so many twists to this story that it is impossible to say more about the plot.
This story is character driven, centred on Emmy. As the investigation proceeds, her background, her family history, her relationships to the other characters, are revealed, against the background of the town and the all-pervading Cliftons. But it is a murder-mystery, of course, and a police-procedural. And it is written by Karin Slaughter so is unsparing in its descriptions of death and injury, of emotional and psychological trauma. Disturbing, but all adding to the air of verisimilitude. There are several plot twists including at least three big ones, one of which I didn’t spot coming at all. Well written, as usual, and meticulously plotted, it is rumoured to be the start of a new series, which I will certainly follow.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Absolutely brutal.

Even before starting, I knew this was going to be a tough read. I knew I’d come out of it a little broken. But, throwing caution to the wind, I dived into this dark tale of missing teenage girls and the secrets buried in a small town.

The story follows Emmy Lou, the town deputy, as she investigates the disappearance of two girls. What she uncovers is nothing short of horrifying. Karin Slaughter doesn’t hold back in portraying the darkest sides of humanity—the twisted joy some people take in inflicting pain, the depths of evil lurking beneath the surface. It’s shocking, sickening, and uncomfortably real.

Emmy Lou isn’t just a detached investigator; this case is personal. She’s connected to the people involved, and her emotional stakes make the story hit even harder. The twists—oh, the twists! I did not see them coming. I was on edge, questioning everything alongside her. Her father’s questions, “What do we know? What do we think we know?” became mine, and with each revelation, Emmy grew stronger, more resolute. Watching her navigate the storm of emotions was as captivating as solving the mystery itself.

Karin Slaughter’s stories never stay on the surface. They pull you into the depths of human depravity, forcing you to face the ugly truths of the world. With this book, she once again delivers a gripping, gut-wrenching story that’ll leave you reeling.

4 stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Karin Slaughter, and HarperCollins for the advanced copy of this book.

The close community of North Falls is devastated when two teenagers are abducted and later found murdered. Officer Emmy Clifton, is determined to bring the killer to justice but when history repeats itself twelve years later, she is not sure she got the right man. Back on the hunt, she realises that she does not know her neighbours as well as she thought.
I was a little wary when I realised that this wasn't part of the Will Trent/Sara Linton series as I love these books but I decided to bite the bullet anyway and boy, I am glad I did! Emmy Clifton is a worthy successor. This was a pacy read full of twists to throw you off the scent. Another book that kept me reading way past bedtime - I look forward to meeting Emmy and her family again,

It took me a little while to get into it but when I did I was not disappointed! 10/10! Karin Slaughter never disappoints!
Thank you for the opportunity for the early read.

Karin Slaughter is a great author! I've read and enjoyed all her books and this one is no exception! I read it in 2 days straight.
Highly recommended.

As a die hard Karin Slaughter fan the arrival of this ARC in my inbox was my happiest day.
Karin steps away from her popular Will Trent/Sara Linton crossover series and begins something entirely new. With her trademark depth and focus she throws the reader straight into a dark storyline. The abduction of two young girls in a close knit town and the race to find them. Karin has never ever been afraid to tackle difficult themes and one of the things I find I applaud her for as a writer is Karin confronts head on the violence against women and girls AND the attitudes which surround it. That is never more accurate than it is here. Yes you want to look away and to convince yourself this is not reality, but it is and the attitudes inside are real, never more so than now.

Karin has been my go to for over ten years and has never failed to surprise me, intrigue me, devastate me and enthral me.

Atmospheric, Compelling..
North Falls, a small town where seemingly everyone knows everyone and where secrets cannot normally be kept. When two teenage girls vanish on Fireworks Night the town is thrown into chaos and Officer Emmy Clifton is determined to get to the bottom of the case and bring those girls home. She is soon to realise that the town is keeping secrets and that many of the residents are really strangers. Atmospheric, compelling and immersive with a cast of wholly credible characters populating a simmering plot littered with twists and keen observation. A promising start to this new series.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I loved all the complex characters and the tragedy of getting things wrong. The book kept me hooked and guessing the whole way through.

A story of family, friendship and secrets. Interwoven with small town murders 12 years previously and present day. Told at the usual great pace, with twists and turns that are so unexpected. Well worth the read.

Set aside a weekend for this fast paced and thrilling read.
A small town with a lot going on. Gritty, horrific with plenty of twists.
Such well written characters that were so believable.
This is not for the fainthearted!
I loved every page.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

When 2 teenage girls go missing at a fireworks event, police officer Emmy Lou Clifton is on the case and a man is convicted of the crime. Fast forward 12 years and another girl is missing. This throws into doubt previous convictions and forces Emmy to review the case with Special Agent Jude Archer.
This well-written and brilliantly plotted novel kept me glued to the page. Karin Slaughter brings the small town community of North Falls to life. Secrets and lies are revealed including a shocking twist involving Emmy Lou's family. I look forward to reading more of this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter due to be published June 19, 2025.
Everyone knows everyone in North Falls – or do they? When two teenage girls vanish, Officer Emmy Clifton takes it personally. Emmy finds out the girls had lots of secrets. So does the town. Will Emmy find out who took the girls before it happens again?
I love Karin Slaughter and the Will Trent series so couldn’t wait to dive into this one. It did not disappoint! Her descriptions of the small town of North Falls almost made me want to visit some of the shops and restaurants there. The characters were very detailed so you almost could pick them out walking down the street. The plot was woven together from time past to present with a very satisfying ending. I highly recommend this one for thriller fans!
#NetGalley #KarinSlaughter #HarperCollinsUK #WeAreAllGuiltyHere

I love Karin slaughters books and her writing and this book wasn’t a disappointment! I loved Emmy and her dysfunctional family and their relationships. She stayed strong in such tragic circumstances never giving up determined to find the truth. The scene with Hannah was heartbreaking breaking but so brilliantly written! Great book

A brilliant psychological thriller that grips you from the beginning, When two young girls go missing the search is on but for cops Emmy and her father things turn very dark in the race to try and find them alive and it haunts them for many years,Can they find who was responsible for what happened as they try to piece together the evidence after another young girl goes missing years later full of drama,twists and turns with some quite disturbing people and a terrific ending. Fans of this author will love it I'm sure it will be another winner

I've got my fingers crossed that this will be a new series from Karin Slaughter and not simply a standalone.

The novel is set in rural North Falls, Georgia. It's one of those insular towns where everyone knows everyone and they all feel safe. When two teenaged girls disappear during the July 4th fireworks, it shatters the town. Emmy, a cop, and her father Gerald, the county sheriff, are on the case from the beginning. As the investigation into the disappearance continues, there are numerous secrets unveiled and eventually an arrest is made. But that's only the beginning of the story. Years later, when the supposed kidnapper is released from prison due to new evidence, a very similar disappearance occurs. Now Emmy is the chief deputy and together with her father, they are in a race against time to find the girl. A recently retired FBI agent / psychologist, Jude Archer, comes to town to assist in the search - and there are a few family complications. This is a wild ride, filled with twists and turns, some that I saw coming and others were complete surprises. I am definitely hoping that we will return to North Falls again.

This is a novel about secrets and there are many layers in small town North Falls. Small towns harbor secrets and even the gossip may contain an element of truth. There are deceptions, intrigues, and complicated relationships. The characters are all hiding something and it is a wild ride to peal away the layers. No one, it seems, is entirely innocent.

This was a brilliant novel and definitely recommended to all Slaughter fans. The first part is a *little* slower paced, but the second is a roller coaster ride. There are difficult topics. Karin Slaughter does not shy away from dark elements, like sex trafficking and child pornography. But despite the intensity, there is sensitivity towards the victims. This gritty novel has a palapable authenticity, especially with the police and forensic parts of the investigation. It is a must-read for 2025! Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the chance to read this novel.

Quotes I liked:

If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.

Every kid gets a different set of parents, even if they grow up in the same house.

A man has to prove himself once. A woman has to prove himself every day.

Madison will always be trapped between those two people. The woman we didn't get to meet, and the girl we used to know.

When people die, your relationship with them doesn't end. You find new ways to connect with them.

A brilliant story with so much going on and so much potential that I didn't see the perpetrators coming! 100% recommend this.

The story begins with Madison, a teenage girl who is worrying that her friend Cheyenne is late to meet her. They are clearly involved in a dangerous scheme and later the same night, both girls are missing. Emmy is a police officer working the case alongside her father and the first section of the book investigates their disappearance with a seemed resolution, Flash forwards twelve years and it seems that they might have arrested the wrong person and another young girl goes missing. An experienced FBI agent with links to Emmy’s family arrives to help them and they work the new case together. The truth is pretty grim and, like many of the author’s books, this is not for the faint hearted. It kept me gripped and guessing throughout and the characters of Emmy and Jude were well drawn and sympathetic. However, I wouldn’t recommend reading it late at night. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.