Summary
We Are All Guilty Here is a thriller by Karin Slaughter, published in 2025. Set in a rural Georgia town, the story begins with the mysterious disappearance of two teenage girls during a fireworks celebration. It’s the first major case for Officer Emmy Clifton, and it’s personal–one of the missing girls is her best friend’s stepdaughter. Twelve years after the case has been closed, another local teenage girl vanishes in a hauntingly similar way. What did Emmy get wrong? Has a monster been hiding in plain sight in this close-knit community for all these years? Launching Slaughter’s North Falls series, this gripping mystery explores the intertwining lives of complex characters, each grappling with their own dark secrets and the consequences of past actions.
Plot
Set in rural North Falls, Georgia, We Are All Guilty Here is a thriller unfolding in three parts. It begins with the disappearance of two teenage girls during the small town’s annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration. New to the police force and reporting directly to the chief, who happens to be her father, Officer Emmy Clifton is determined to find the missing girls before it’s too late. Intensifying the pressure Emmy feels, one of the missing girls is her best friend’s stepdaughter, Madison. And Emmy was one of the last people to see Madison alive.
Fast forward 12 years. The tragic case that rocked North Falls has been closed, with the predator locked away. Yet Emmy can’t let go of the guilt over her failure to protect Madison. Then, another teenage girl vanishes. What did Emmy overlook in her earlier investigation? Who is the real predator? Has a monster been hiding in plain sight all these years? For answers, Emmy begins digging into the hidden lives of the three teenagers. What she discovers completely upends everything she thought she knew about her close-knit small community and people she loves and trusts. With the help of Jude Archer, a calm and astute FBI consultant, Emmy finally finds justice for the girls and closure for herself.
In the final section, the novel’s richly layered characters have time to reflect and heal. Throughout, Karin Slaughter masterfully explores the theme of guilt–how it can consume us, shape our actions, and ultimately, become the catalyst for our redemption. As the characters are forced to reckon with their own culpability, the reader is left to grapple with the complexities of morality, the fragility of the human psyche, and the power of both forgiveness and retribution.
Themes
The nature of guilt and its impact on the human psyche
At the core of the novel is an exploration of the fragility of the human condition, as Slaughter's characters are forced to confront the consequences of their actions and the weight of their own culpability. Through this lens, the author examines the ways in which guilt can consume and corrupt, driving individuals to desperate and sometimes unthinkable acts in the pursuit of absolution.
The quest for redemption and the possibility of forgiveness
Alongside the theme of guilt, We Are All Guilty Here also grapples with the theme of redemption. Slaughter's skillful storytelling invites readers to consider the nuances of morality, challenging preconceived notions of right and wrong and the grey areas that often define the human experience.
The impact of the past
The novel delves into the ways in which the characters' pasts have irrevocably shaped their present and future, underscoring the long-lasting impact of trauma, secrets, and the choices we make. Through this exploration, Slaughter encourages readers to consider the complex relationship between our histories and our identities.
Small-town secrets and bonds
Set in a close-knit community in rural Georgia, We Are All Guilty Here captures how residents of small towns protect one another’s secrets, sometimes to their peril, and also come together to heal.
Characters
Emmy Clifton-Lang: A police officer in the small town of North Falls, Georgia. When the novel opens she is new to the force, the mother of an 11-year-old son, and in a troubled marriage.
Gerald Clifton: The local sheriff and Emmy’s father. He is one of the “poor” Cliftons, whose father sold his shares in the family business.
Myrna Clifton: Emmy’s mother.
Cole Lang: Emmy’s son, who grows into a supportive young adult.
Madison Dalyrimple: One of the first teenage girls to go missing.
Cheyenne Baker: Madison’s best friend, who vanishes with her.
Hannah Dalyrimple: Madison’s mother and Emmy’s close friend.
Adam Huntsinger: A local laborer who becomes a suspect in the girls’ disappearance.
Paisley Walker: A 14-year-old girl who goes missing 12 years after the disappearance of Madison and Cheyenne.
Jude Archer: An FBI officer on the cusp of retirement who returns to North Falls, the small town she left behind in her youth, to help with the case of Paisley Walker.
Quick facts
Published in August 2025, We Are All Guilty is Karin Slaughter's 22nd work of fiction.
We Are All Guilty is the debut novel in Slaughter’s North Falls series of thrillers.
Slaughter is a New York Times bestselling author.
Slaughter’s previous novels, including Pretty Girls and Will Trent series, have earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated global readership.
We Are All Guilty Here has been praised for its complex and multifaceted characters, as well as its ability to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The novel's exploration of themes like guilt, redemption, and the fragility of the human psyche has drawn comparisons to the works of Gillian Flynn and Tana French.
Slaughter's skillful blending of psychological depth and gripping narrative tension has earned We Are All Guilty Here widespread anticipation from fans of the thriller genre
About the author
Karin Slaughter is an international and New York Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers. With a reputation for creating complex, multilayered characters and intricate, twist-filled plots, Slaughter has captivated readers worldwide with her ability to explore the darker corners of the human psyche. She is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Her novels include the Edgar–nominated Cop Town, Pretty Girls, The Good Daughter, and Pieces of Her, which was adapted into a Netflix limited series starring Toni Collette. She is also acclaimed for her Grant County and Will Trent series, which inspired the hit ABC-TV drama. Her most recent series, North Falls, was launched in 2025 with We Are All Guilty Here. 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.
