Karin Slaughter delivers another gripping, twist-filled thriller with The Secrets We Hide, a novel that kept me completely hooked from beginning to end.

From the outset, the story builds a strong sense of tension, drawing you into a world where nothing feels quite as it seems. The pacing is excellent, and the plot unfolds in a way that constantly keeps the reader guessing. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another twist would shift the narrative, making this a genuinely unpredictable read.

What stood out most for me was the strength of the characterisation. The characters felt vivid and real, which made the emotional impact of the story even more powerful. Slaughter has a talent for creating complex, layered individuals whose motivations and actions keep you fully invested.

The storyline itself is compelling and tightly constructed, with moments that made me stop and rethink everything I had just read. Those “oh” moments, where the pieces begin to fall into place, are what make this such a satisfying thriller.

I found this incredibly difficult to put down and ended up reading it in one sitting — always a sign of a truly engaging book.

Overall, The Secrets We Hide is a dark, addictive and expertly crafted thriller that delivers everything I look for in the genre. A definite five-star read for me, and one I would highly recommend to fans of twisty, character-driven suspense.

This is a fantastic follow on from We are all Guilty Here and takes place a short while after with Emmy struggling with grief and earning respect at work whilst Jude is trying to get Emmy to give her a chance to get to know her. The dynamics between the two works really well and continues to evolve in this whilst there’s a shocking murder and attempted murder to investigate which leads to so many potential suspects and motives that in some cases have far reaching consequences an£ even bring the character of Emmy’s father into doubt. This does a great job of exploring the victims relationships as well as the psychology behind them to an extent but also shows her strengths and determination. There’s some good clues throughout the book which I partly put together so the culprit wasn’t a total surprise but there was so much more to this than just the murder as so many are guilty of different things and it’s amazing what secrets small towns hide.

I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of The Secrets We Hide, she’s one of my all-time favourite authors, and this one did not disappoint.

As always, Slaughter delivers a dark, gripping story packed with emotion, tension, and characters that feel incredibly real. I was hooked from the start and completely invested in uncovering the truth as the layers slowly unraveled. The way she builds suspense and explores the darker sides of people is just so compelling.

If I’m being picky, there were a couple of moments that felt slightly slower, but honestly it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the overall story.

A must-read for thriller fans and a solid reminder of why Karin Slaughter is an auto-buy author for me.

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Karin Slaughter and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

Number 2 in the North Falls series.

Sheriff Emmy Clifton is still reeling from the recent death of her beloved father Gerald, and now, just six weeks later, there is the funeral of her mother, the formidable Myrna, to attend. With all the Cliftons gathered it is a mighty turnout. On their way to Taybee Clifton-Clifton’s house for the get together after the burial, Emmy and her son, Deputy Cole Clifton, and Emmy’s estranged sister Jude Archer are waylaid by the sounds of gunshots coming from a well to do area. On entering the property, things don’t go quite as planned, and soon the sheriff and her department are in the throes of another murder case.

What a great read! Twisty and tense, the hits keep on coming. Once I had my head around all the Cliftons and their relationships to each other (that’s a huge family tree!), the story really flowed. A small town where everyone knows everything about everyone, yet secrets abound, the plot is intriguing and absolutely absorbing.

Not an easy read as some of the themes are dark and very unpleasant, but all handled with great aplomb.

With a cast of characters like this the story keeps the reader on their toes. Great writing with an excellent plot. And the last line of the book? Wow!!

Roll on the next instalment.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK.

I absolutely loved this book.

Karin Slaughter is an auto-read for me and I think I might have enjoyed this even more than the first book in the series.

The book felt quite heavy, includes themes like domestic violence, trauma and complicated family dynamics. It’s not an easy read emotionally, but it’s very engaging.

What stood out to me most were the twists. Even if the crime itself wasn’t the most shocking compared to some of the author’s previous books, the story is packed with secrets and reveals that keep unfolding.

I also really liked the development between Emmy and Jude. Their relationship is still complicated, but you can see that slow shift as they begin to work together more.

The small-town setting works really well , with all the good ingredients: secrets, crime, drama and a lot of tension.

And the ending… definitely left me wanting the next book ASAP!!!

⭐ 5 stars

I love Karin slaughter as an author and have read all her books! This one was as brilliant as the others!
I loved the revelation, the relationships between the family and the humour , Taybee is hilarious!
Loved the friendships and the relationship between Emmy and Jude!
Along side all of that was a really gripping story!

I absolutely loved the first in this new North Falls series from Karin Slaughter when I read it last year, and this follow-up more than lives up to expectations - small town America laid bare. Characters so real, you can envisage them in the room with you, which is rare in itself, but as the story opens with a horrendous murder, what does this small town do next? Emmy Clifton is the acting police chief, following the death of the previous incumbent, who also happened to be her father; so, as well as discovering how wrong things went for this victim, she's also fighting daily, blatant discrimination, just for doing her job.

There is much complexity as events are played out, and much paranoia amongst the town's residents, who just want the murder solved, regardless of whom is thought guilty. Everyone has an answer and yet no-one has a clue... Emmy has to look into events from 20 years past to even scratch the surface of the motivations, and it's a constant battle to get ahead of so many who still guard secrets.

This is a big book, in all senses; an exceptional story, a claustrophobic setting, which Slaughter does so very, very well; violence, yes, but so integral to the story and shown from a perspective I think readers will 'get'. I do recommend that the first in the series is read before devouring this one, the back stories will, I think, be enhanced, but whatever you do, savour the pleasure of another brilliant book from Karin Slaughter.

I am extremely grateful to have received an advance copy of The Secrets We Hide, the 2nd book in the North Falls series. I’m a huge Karin Slaughter fan so I already knew I’d love this. For anyone who is new to KS, I love to recommend reading each of her series in order for the best experience.

The Secrets We Hide is deep and dark, and totally unpredictable in true Slaughter fashion. The character building is incredible, not just the main characters but almost the whole town’s population is brought to life so well I feel like I’ve lived my own life in North Falls. The story is gripping from the start and full of surprises, no predicting the ending here! For anyone who has read KS before and knows that some of the themes can be really (I mean, really) dark, this one is a little less so but deals with themes such domestic abuse and trauma, family secrets and more.

Overall, I absolutely loved this and I’m really not sure how I’m supposed to cope until the next one is released!

Is this now becoming my new favorite series? Yes, I do believe it is. The second book in the North Fall series does not disappoint in the least!

We pick up a few weeks after the events of the first novel, and Emmy is investigating a murder of a police officer. There are many suspects to flesh out, and the crime scene just doesn’t seem to be adding up. On top of the investigation, there’s a lot going on in Emmy’s personal life as well. Like a ton! Her relationship with Jude is forefront. We see Emmy struggling, trying to juggle both her personal life and this investigation that hits close to home for her.

I liked this one a tad bit more than the first one. There was a ton going on in the first one, whereas this one kept close to the main storyline. I appreciate the focus on the investigation as well as the banter back and forth between Jude and Emmy. There were just enough suspects to investigate without throwing in the whole town. Does it count that I solved the mystery one page before Emmy did? I think so!

The ending was set up nicely for a follow up book, and I can’t wait! Do I recommend this novel? Absolutely!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

My family recommended Karin Slaughter to me a couple of years back, when I read Cop Town, so I was extremely excited to receive an advanced reader e.copy of ‘The Secrets We Hide’ , the follow-up book to ‘We Are All Guilty Here’. Both these novels are set in North Falls, a small town where the Clifton family are a big name in law keeping amongst other things. The protagonists in this book are Emmy Clifton, who is ‘Acting Sheriff’ and her sister Jude, a psychologist. They have been estranged for years and Jude has come back for their father’s funeral. Jude wants to resurrect their relationship for reasons that are revealed in the book and explain why she has been gone for so long from the North Falls. The family has secrets.
The book starts with Jude, Emmy and Emmy’s son Cole, (also a Police Officer) heading back from the funeral when they hear shots and in true police form, especially in a small town, they can’t help but go see what’s happening. An ex-police officer has been shot, and together they work together to get to the bottom of who committed this crime.
I have loved every Karin Slaughter book I’ve ever read and this one is no exception. The characters are so well developed that you feel invested in them. I loved the psychological input from Jude in crime related matters, in communication matters and in leadership roles. I found myself rooting for Jude all the way through. This is quite a long book but I still galloped through it at a fair old pace. It’s always a good sign for me when I am finding reasons to just sit down and read instead of doing housework.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series.
A well deserved 5 stars from me.
My thanks, as always go to the author the publishers and to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book.

Another compelling small town crime drama from Karin Slaughter. Very American, which I usually try to avoid but this author makes her characters so believable I can mostly, overlook that. Lots of of twists and a surprising ending.

Karin Slaughter has done it again.
Added to the auto buy author list

Great plot, great characters, fantastic writing as usual

Emmy Clifton returns in the second installment of the North Falls series, picking up just a few weeks after the brilliant We're All Guilty Here. We're thrown into the action immediately with a murder in the very first chapter.

Wow, what a book. I love how Emmy and her sister, Jude, talk through the case, walking the crime scene multiple times and using their dad Gerald’s ingrained methods of "What do we know?" and "What do we think we know?"

I also loved the small-town aspect of North Falls—how Emmy knows everyone (and is even related to most), using that deep local knowledge to further her investigation. At the same time, she is trying to lead a disgruntled police force reluctant to follow her instructions as she struggles to replace her father as Chief of Police.

She has an incredible strength of character, managing to hold herself together through it all. I really felt for Emmy throughout these pages and admired her sheer force of will to do the right thing.

Karin Slaughter creates fantastic, flawed, yet brilliant characters and writes them in such incredible fashion. The standard of her books is on another scale entirely. It made me realise that a lot of the books I read are by authors still trying to learn their craft, because Karin is an absolute master of hers.

If you haven't already, make sure you read We're All Guilty Here before you even think about picking this one up. You can thank me later.

Sheer brilliance.

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

The Secrets We Hide is due to be released on 18th June 2026

Karin Slaughter is one of my favourite crime authors. She writes incredible books with deeply flawed and real characters and I just love them. The Secrets We Hide is the second book in her new North Falls series and it is fabulous. Not always easy reading, it tackles some difficult topics and is very dark. I cannot recommend this book and series more.

We are back in North Falls with Emmy Clifton, now the sheriff after her father’s death. Not everyone in town is happy about this and she is desperate to prove her opponents wrong. Driving home one afternoon she hears shots fired and races to the scene. There she finds her former colleague and friend Allison Vickery shot dead and her daughter badly injured. Everyone on the small town thinks that they know what happened and criticise Emmy for not arresting the man. But Emmy isn’t convinced, and with the help of her sister Jude, she sets out to find the truth.

I loved this book! Emmy has the weight of the world on her shoulders and yet she goes ahead and does her job, despite all the criticism she receives. We see past the tough exterior and her vulnerability is evident. So much has happened to her and her family that anyone would be struggling. Jude tries her best to be there for her and Cole, while keeping her own secret that she knows has to come out . This book is gritty and unapologetically intense. It is far from your run of the mill police procedural and am all there for that. I am emotionally attached to these characters and I had tears in my eyes reading parts of this book.

Another absolute winner from Karin Slaughter. Easy 5 stars

Thank you Harper Collins UK for allowing me to read this book early. Out on June 18th.

I just love, love loved this book. It’s so good. Book two in the North Falls series and it doesn’t disappoint. I couldn’t put it down. It’s so immersive, emotional and detailed, mysterious, suspenseful, gripping, full of tension and a small town setting. What’s not to love.
This book sees Emmy Clifton investigating the murder of a retired police officer. With many suspects and the crime seen not adding up, plus juggling her personal life alongside the investigation Emmy has her hands full. There are plenty of twists and secrets to keep you guessing and turning the pages, right up until the end, and what an ending. Just wow! The story just hooks you right in from the start and it doesn’t let go. It’s so addictive.
I love all the characters and the dynamics between them. They are written with such depth. Emmy’s character is such a strong inspirational female protagonist. I loved the alternating POV’s from Emmy and Jude giving a deeper insight into both these characters.
This book is a fast paced rollercoaster of a read and I can’t wait for book three @karinslaugherauthor
Definitely recommend this book and series. It’s well worth the read if you enjoy this genre.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HarperCollinsUk @HarperFiction for an arc of #TheSecretsWeHide in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 18 June 2026.

Karin Slaughter will forever be an auto-buy author, and The Secrets We Hide proves exactly why that is.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fast paced thriller which is a real page turner. Every bit as good as the first book in this new series by a master of suspense. The book stands alone too. Lots of twists keeping up the suspense. Well rounded characters with interesting lives including Sheriff Emmy and her sister Jude. I did guess the killer as I followed the Agatha Christie rule of the least likely person but I didn’t know why until the end of this book with it’s very apt title.

Karin Slaughter has done it again and I am grateful for an amazing book full of secrets and suspense.
An intricate tale of how you never know what families are capable of.
Loved it!

Acting Sherriff Emmy Clifton is on her way back from a funeral when she hears gunshots nearby.
As Emmy runs towards the sound she realises it is coming from the house of someone she knows and she dreads what she will find. The body of Allison Vickery is found downstairs, with her daughter found seriously injured upstairs, the shooter nowhere to be seen.
Emmy determines to throw everything at the case but in a small town where almost everyone has something to hide Emmy comes up against nothing but brick walls.
It will take every ounce of intelligence, and courage she has if Emmy is going to get justice for Allison and her daughter.
A real page turner, this will have you gripped from the start and with twists, turns and shocks it will keep you gripped right until the last page.
It can be read as a standalone but as it’s only the second book in the series I would highly recommend you read the first one.