We Are All Guilty Here
- Judith D Collins
- Aug 10
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 11
By: Karin Slaughter
Narrator: Kathleen Early
HarperAudio
North Falls #1
ISBN: 978-0063336773
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 08/12/2025
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
The next thrilling mystery from Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Girls and the Will Trent Series.
Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think.
Until the night of the fireworks. When two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites.
For Officer Emmy Clifton, it’s personal. She turned away when her best friend's daughter needed help—and now she must bring her home.
But as Emmy combs through the puzzle the girls left behind, she realizes she never really knew them. Nobody did.
Every teenage girl has secrets. But who would kill for them? And what else is the town hiding?
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My Review
Karin Slaughter, often hailed as the queen of crime fiction (rightly so) and a long-time favorite of mine, launches an enthralling new series—North Falls #1—with her latest novel, WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE.
This gripping whodunit not only introduces us to the tenacious Officer Emmy Clifton but also intricately weaves together a cop procedural with profound psychological depth, keeping readers on the edge of their seats and eagerly anticipating the next installment.
About...
Welcome to North Falls—a rural small town in Georgia, where the mantra is that everyone knows everyone. Or so they believe.
The stage is set on a sultry July evening, illuminated by the vibrant bursts of summer fireworks, when a chilling mystery erupts as two teenage girls inexplicably vanish without a trace, sending shockwaves through the small town.
Officer Emmy Clifton grapples with a gnawing sense of guilt. She had turned away when her best friend's daughter desperately needed help, and now the weight of her choice presses heavily on her conscience as she embarks on a mission to bring the girls home.
Yet, as she delves deeper, it becomes clear that North Falls is cloaked in a shroud of secrets, many darker than the night itself. The townsfolk each harbor hidden truths that could upend their lives, casting doubt on the very fabric of their community.
In North Falls, no one is truly safe, and the past holds more than just cherished memories; it harbors buried horrors.
Questions abound as the investigation intensifies: What drove these girls to vanish? What lengths will residents go to protect their secrets?
Emmy’s pursuit of justice becomes a treacherous journey, leading her to confront the undeniable reality that in this town, some are willing to kill to keep their secrets hidden.
My thoughts...
As a passionate storyteller, the author weaves an unnervingly vivid tapestry of a world that envelops readers in its intricate details. The landscape is charged with an eerie atmosphere, alive with dark shadows and whispers.
Her characters, each deeply flawed and beautifully complex, pulse with authenticity, drawing readers into their multifaceted lives and struggles. The narrative meanders through a labyrinth of suspense and mystery, filled with unexpected twists and shocking revelations that keep the readers on the edge of their seats. Interspersed with a razor-sharp wit, the dark humor adds an intriguing layer to the overarching tension, transforming the story into a powerful and gripping experience.
As a devoted fan for years, I am continually awed by Slaughter's mastery in crafting narrative twists and turns, suspense, and compelling characters.
Sometimes, the true monsters lurk right under our noses.
Set amid the rural backdrop of Clifton County in southwest Georgia, the small town boasts a population of 20,000, with fewer than a thousand calling the county seat of North Falls home.
In this dark and gritty tale, secrets unravel in the sweltering heat of July, peeling away layers to reveal the underbelly of small-town life.
The story's timeline oscillates between past and present (twelve years earlier) and twelve days later, skillfully painting a portrait of compelling characters and a sense of darkness and claustrophobia. Like most young girls, they want to escape a small town with dreams and desires of bigger and more exciting lives.
In particular, Emmy Clifton emerges as a relatable protagonist, grappling with her flaws while managing the complexities of her personal life alongside her professional duties.
Slaughter fans will delight in the determined Emmy and her richly drawn supporting characters. True to her signature style, this narrative is drenched in secrets, trauma, addiction, mental health struggles, loss, abduction, betrayal, and guilt, while showcasing the remarkable resilience, strength, courage, and determination of its female characters.
I eagerly await the next chapter for Officer Emmy Clifton and the intriguing town of North Falls.
Recs...
WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE is an exhilarating choice for both dedicated Slaughter enthusiasts and those who enjoyed her Grant County series.
Special thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy for my honest thoughts. Always an honor to read Karin's masterpieces.
I cannot wait for more Will Trent!
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 12, 2025
Praise
“Karin Slaughter is always a must read.”
— Harlan Coben
“A thriller of breadth and depth—a powerful and gripping read.”
— Shari Lapena on We Are All Guilty Here
"Explosive from the very start"
— Cara Hunter on We Are All Guilty Here
"Karin Slaughter's new series starts with a book that is a knock-out punch... My God. Sign me up for more."
— Dervla McTiernan on We Are All Guilty Here
"This intense novel starts big and never lets up, as layer after layer is revealed and peeled away. Another suspenseful winner from Slaughter." — Library Journal (starred review) We Are All Guilty Here
"Fans of the Grant County series by Slaughter, will enjoy the familiar rural Georgia scenery and smalltown secrets, but will find something new in instinct-driven Emmy Lou and her messy, fascinating family." — Booklist (starred review) on We Are All Guilty Here
About the Author
Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular storytellers. She is the author of more than twenty instant New York Times bestselling novels, including the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and standalone novels The Good Daughter and Pretty Girls. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her is a #1 Netflix original series, Will Trent is now a Disney+ television series, and further projects are in development. Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta. WEBSITE
