We Are All Guilty Here

In this uneven series launch from bestseller Slaughter (This Is Why We Lied), Georgia police officer Emmy Clifton investigates the abduction of 15-year-olds Cheyenne Baker and Madison Dalrymple during a small-town Fourth of July fireworks celebration. Despite evidence suggesting the teens were murdered, Emmy remains hopeful, nudged toward optimism by Madison’s adoptive mother, Hannah, her best friend since kindergarten. As Emmy collaborates with the FBI, she learns of devious characters swirling around the case, including pimps, drug dealers, and a potentially predatory teacher. Her exceptional instincts eventually lead her to the girls’ mutilated bodies, and DNA evidence points to local troublemaker Adam Huntsinger as the killer. However, a true crime podcast identifies Adam as the perpetrator of a different crime on the night the girls died, complicating Emmy’s investigation. The tension escalates when 14-year-old Paisley Walker goes missing under similar circumstances to Cheyenne and Madison, sending Emmy into another frantic search. Though the narrative is bolstered by strong characterization and a shocking final twist, it gets bogged down with excessive backstory and flavorless small-town scene-setting. Slaughter’s devoted fans will find plenty to appreciate, but others might want to sit this one out. Agent: Victoria Sanders, Victoria Sanders & Assoc. (Aug.)

Correction: An earlier version of this review referred to the main character by the wrong first name. It also misdescribed the book as a standalone.