I really enjoyed this - the family dynamics, the investigation, the pace. Its not too gruesome or upsetting, those things happen away from the narrative as the reader. Also, i was kept guessing throughout and couldn't have guessed some of the key plot points, which i always enjoy!

The new Karin Slaughter takes a twisty journey through a shocking crime and the subsequent fallout both for the victims' families but also the police officer who investigated. Emmy Lou Clifton's life as the daughter of a sheriff who is now a Deputy herself is told against the backdrop of solving crimes spanning 2 decades that may or may or not be connected. Her family and friends lives interweave with the investigations and the book uses both sides of the story to good effect. Fans of Slaughter's previous books will enjoy.

The dynamics of a small town are really brought to the forefront of this book. Everyone is known to everyone, but how much do people really know about their friends and neighbours underneath the surface?
It all starts the day teen girls Madison Dalrymple and Cheyenne Baker disappear from the fireworks display on the 4th of July. But what follows is a thrilling race against time to find the missing girls of North Falls for the town's sheriff and his deputy daughter.
When Jude was first introduced, I was confused and couldn't work out the direction the book would take, but she swiftly one of my favourite characters with her feisty spirit and brilliant one-liners.
I'm looking forward to seeing more from the Cliffton family and North Falls in future instalments in this new series.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When two teenage best friends disappear from an event in North Falls, Officer Emmy Clifton knows that they have to act fast to find them.

When a teenage girl disappears after the initial suspect is released from prison, all hell breaks loose with the locals. With everything about this case looking like the previous one, the officers have to look back at the original case to see what they missed.

Karin Slaughter is one of those authors that I don’t need to read anything about a new book to know that I must read it! This is the first book in a new series and it didn’t disappoint.

Complex characters, a small town where everyone knows each other and many, many secrets. As we peel away the layers, the truth slowly comes out.

This story does feature a lot of details of the police procedures and that helped to see which direction the story was going in.

My thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Yes I got caught up in this one with the last fifth especially read in a short space of time.

I enjoyed several of the Will Trent books from Karin Slaughter and although still not quite a go-to author of mine I've enjoyed every book from Karin I've read so far. This one was no exception.

The setting of rural America (North Falls, Georgia) comes out well with the knock-on consequences of rural family relationships and the size of the police force.

The crimes in this book are definitely adult in nature and harrowing at times but despite that it's more about the action this one than the emotion with serious emotional scenes skipped over relatively quickly with a change of direction or advancement of the plot.

Definitely wouldn't want to change places with the main character - Emmy - who's Dad is the current chief of police, her mum losing her marbles, a wreck of a marriage and closest friend lost along the way. On top of that having to deal with murderers and paedophilia.

I gather this is the start of a new series, so it'll be a small wonder if Emmy is left standing properly for the next instalment. I'll be keen to see how she fares for the next one.

I didn't get the 'whodunnit', which is always a bonus too.

Enjoyed it and won't forget it quickly either.

5 stars from me.

I'm a huge Karin Slaughter fan, and was so excited to be given the opportunity to read this ARC. It did not disappoint! I was captivated by the storyline, and couldn't put it down.

I love Karin Slaughter's descriptive writing style that creates a fuller, more visual picture of what she's bringing to life from the page.

My favourite character was obviously Emmy Lou. She had a bit of a rocky start the book, but demonstrated great strength of character as it continued. She was inspiring in not only her work ethic but determination to find out what happened to the missing girls.

Another fantastic read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We Are All Guilty here focusses on a tragic and brutal event in the small US town of North Falls, with the story centred around these events over a number of years. With a flawed but likeable main character in the form of Emmy Clifton, some blind-siding twists and turns, multiple suspects, moving family dynamics and some wonderful character studies. you have a superb crime-thriller.

This is excellently written, incredibly tense (particularly during the last quarter or so) and a thriller of tall order. I did find the pacing dropped at times which slowed my own progress but when things picked up again I was utterly hooked. I had no idea how things were going to pan out and loved the ending.

A brilliant novel and a series I hope to continue.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

I received a free copy of this book in-exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. This book was really well written and had a lot of depth to it. For me, I found it a little slow, I love a fast paced punchy book! This book should definitely come with some trigger warnings, child abuse and worse.

Following in her father's footsteps, Emmy Clifton is a police officer and now her father's deputy. 12 years ago Emmy was involved in the investigation of 2 missing girls later found murdered and is filled with guilt at her last encounter with one of the girls, her now estranged best friends daughter. Satisfied the man responsible is behind bars and is shattered when he has now been released on appeal and even worse another girl is now missing in similar circumstances. The race is on to try and find her before she is murdered too. This story is fast paced and filled with intrigue,family tragedy, police misconduct and collusion. Another fabulous book from Karin Slaughter who is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. Roll on the next book in the series

Set in the close-knit town of North Falls—where everyone believes they know one another—We Are All Guilty Here opens with the chilling disappearance of two teenage girls during a fireworks celebration. For Officer Emmy Clifton, the case hits close to home: one of the missing girls is her best friend’s daughter, and Emmy ignored a cry for help when it mattered most. Now, she’s determined to uncover the truth.

As the investigation unfolds, Emmy discovers how little anyone really knew about the girls. Hidden lives, buried secrets, and a community cloaked in denial begin to surface. But the real question remains: how far would someone go to protect the truth?

The novel starts strong—darkly atmospheric, emotionally charged, and full of intrigue. The first third had me hooked, promising a gripping and gritty mystery. Unfortunately, once a major twist occurs early on, the momentum noticeably dips. The urgency and tension start to fizzle out, and the story leans heavily into procedural details. The repetitive suspect interviews and drawn-out analysis of evidence made the pacing drag, especially for readers not keen on the inner workings of police investigations.

Despite some sharp turns and unsettling scenes, the final resolution felt flat and overly explained rather than shown. For a novel that hinted at raw, shocking truths, the conclusion lacked the punch I was hoping for. Also, at over 400 pages, it felt stretched thin, with not quite enough action to justify the length.

While the character work was solid—Emmy, in particular, was compelling—I’m not sure the story left me eager for more in this series. Readers who enjoy slower, detail-heavy mysteries may find more to love here, but fans of high-octane thrillers might walk away underwhelmed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Deputy Emmy and her father the sheriff are called in to investigate when two teenage girls go missing. When all the signs point to the girls being mixed up in something awful, time is ticking down and the odds are not in their favour. Fast forward 12 years and another girl is missing. Can Emmy find her in time.

Oh my goodness! What a book. Karin Slaughter is a genius.

This book was so frustrating. On more than one occasion as soon as the story got to the big reveal, fast forward to a new time. With characters appearing that seemed completely out of place, but who were then key to the whole investigation.

Emmy was such a vulnerable character but so strong and such a hero! The crimes in this book were horrific but the author treated them sensitively and while there was detail, not enough to make the reader quit. I was hooked from the first pages and couldn’t put this down. There were so many twists and turns and the final suspect came out of nowhere. I cannot recommend this enough and would like another story starring Emmy and North Falls police department.

This book opens with a bang and a mystery from the very start. I found it a bit slow in places but the drama carries it well. It just shows that beneath of all that is held familiar there are very murky depths.

Another superb thriller from Karin Slaughter that delivers on every level. Tragedy, evil, heartbreak, deception and deep emotion that combine for an horrific tale of utmost deprivation and cruelty. Emmy Clifton is deputy sheriff to her father Gerald in the small town of North Falls. He has taught her how to be the best she can be at her job. Her son, Cole is now following in her footsteps. The town is full of Cliftons and generational locals where everyone knows everyone’s business. When two teenage girls go missing the townsfolk are all affected deeply and desperately search for the youngsters. As the search uncovers the harsh realities of their lives, Emmy and her father know they must bring the perpetrator to justice before anyone else is harmed. For Emmy it is deeply personal as one of the girls is the daughter of her best friend and she was the last to speak to her before she went missing, brushing off her request to chat. As the story develops with enormous twists that throw all we know into question, the realisations and horrifying truths will remain in the minds of the readers for a long time. Without giving spoilers it’s quite difficult to say more about the story except to say it is well worth reading and thoroughly recommended. It would be good to meet Emmy, Cole etc in a future book, I feel these excellent characters have more to deliver.

Great book. Was up all night reading it. I loved the characters & the storyline. I totally recommend reading this book straight away, the twists and turns are fab. Definitely 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We Are All Guilty Here is the first book in the North Falls series by award-winning, bestselling American author, Karin Slaughter. In North Falls, Georgia, it’s said that everybody who isn’t a Clifton either works for the Cliftons or has been arrested by the Cliftons. Emmy Lou Clifton-Lang is a deputy for her father, Sheriff Gerald Clifton, when two fifteen-year-old girls go missing during the town’s 4th of July fireworks. Emmy knows them both well: Madison Dalrymple is like a niece to her, the step-daughter of her best friend, Hannah; the other is Mad’s best friend, Cheyenne Baker.

Emmy Lou feels guilty over how she handled her last encounter with Madison, and while much of the town looks for the girls, she and all in the Sheriff’s department work tirelessly, digging deep into everyone with even the faintest connection to them. After a few missteps, it looks like they have their man.

Twelve years on, thanks to a true crime podcast, a North Falls man on death row is free and, two days later, fourteen-year-old Paisley Walker goes missing under eerily similar circumstances. In the angry crowd outside the parolee’s home, there’s a tragic shooting that has far-reaching consequences for the whole town.

With each hour that passes, all involved: the Sheriff’s department, the GBI, the FBI, are acutely aware of the statistics, the fast-diminishing chance of bringing Paisley home alive. In California, on the brink of retirement, a criminal psychologist with the FBI, known for her expertise in finding missing children, catches wind of the Paisley Walker case and immediately sets out for Georgia. But will her presence be welcomed by all in North Falls?

Once again, Slaughter gives the reader a gripping tale, filled with action, suspense, and yes, some graphic detail. There are twists, turns and red herrings before the final, satisfying conclusion. Even the most astute reader will have barely an inkling about one of the perpetrators until the final chapters. Slaughter’s characters are believably flawed, but also grow and develop; characters with depth and wisdom refer to past mistakes and lessons learned.

Fans who may wonder, with each new work, if Slaughter can maintain her matchless standard, can rest assured that her latest is another winner: almost impossible to put down. More of this cast will be most welcome. Unbelievably good crime fiction!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK.

Another fantastic thriller from Karin Slaughter! Just when you think you have started to work out what’s going on, you realise that you had it all wrong. The setting of small town America preys on people’s worst fears; making you realise that you only know people as well as they want you to know them. The Clifton characters were interesting and you can see that this can develop into a series without them taking centre stage. This remind ps me of previous series by the author which I loved.

Another marvellous roller coaster of a book by Karin Slaughter. Two teenage girls are taken, tortured & killed - but have the correct culprits been accused. As well as discovering the disturbing truth following another abduction there is the underlying story of the complexities of family life where members of the family are the law enforcement. Highly recommended

Deputy Emmy Clifton was born and raised in North Falls. She knows the town and its inhabitants like the back of her hand.
When two girls go missing Emmy throws everything she has into finding them, not sure that everything will be enough.
12 years later another young girl goes missing in almost identical circumstances, and Emmy is once again plunged into a nightmare.
Is it the same killer, a copycat, or did they get the wrong man all those years ago. As they trawl through evidence new and old, things begin to come to light that rock Emmy to her core. The town of North Falls will never be the same again.
This is an exciting, engaging read that will keep you guessing until the very end. A story of how living in a small community can feel both comforting and claustrophobic at the same time. It’s exactly the kind of brilliant thriller you would expect from Karin Slaughter.

KAREN SLAUGHTER – WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE *****
This is an extraordinarily immersive thriller written by one of the world’s most popular thriller writers, many of whose novels have been adapted as streaming series. This would make a great series as well.
Two teenage girls get abductions during a firework celebration which shatter a small, insular American town where everybody knows everybody else, and their business. Trying to solve the puzzle of who is a paedophile is Gerald, the ailing sheriff, and Emmy, his daughter.
There are many suspects, many clues, many twist and turns and tragedies. Is anyone in this tight knit town who or what they seem?
Suffice to say this is not only an entertaining book, as long as you can stomach the atrocities which occur, but also a well written one by a master of her craft. Everyone becomes a character you can believe in, good or bad. They stay with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommended.

Bestselling author Karin Slaughter once again proves her mastery of the crime genre with this compelling first installment in her brand new North Falls series. As a massive fan of her previous work, I was thrilled to dive into this new world of hers, and it absolutely lived up to my very high expectations.

While this book delves into the gripping depths of a police investigation, it does feel slightly less dark than some of Slaughter's previous books. This makes it an excellent entry point for readers who may not be familiar with her distinctive style. For established fans, it's a welcome continuation of the qualities that we have loved for a long time now.

True to form this book is very much a slow burn. Slaughter meticulously lays out the groundwork, building tension and atmosphere with a patient hand, a narrative pace that her loyal readers will be well accustomed to. Her capacity to weave together a complex and intricate story is, quite simply, second to none. Every thread is placed with purpose, leading to a truly satisfying unraveling.

The characters in the book have a real depth to them, which helps to make the story really engaging. I particularly loved the main character Emmy. She's complex, relatable, and someone I'm eager to follow in future installments.

This book is a must read for any fan of expertly crafted police procedurals. I am already eagerly anticipating the next installment in what promises to be a phenomenal new series.

My thanks to Harper Collins for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.