Karin Slaughter has always been a writer of unflinching realism. Her novels, especially those in her Will Trent series, never pull any punches in telling stories that examine the darker side of the human condition via law enforcement protagonists.

WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE is the start of a new series and one of the finest books that Slaughter has ever written, which is high praise indeed. This extremely unsettling tale is about child abduction, pedophilia and the human monsters who inhabit North Falls, a small town in Georgia. It is not for the squeamish or those who enjoy their mysteries presented in cozy fashion. It hits hard enough to take the breath out of you and leaves behind indelible images of depravity that are difficult to shake.

Officer Emmy Clifton will never forgive herself for not intervening when she saw 15-year-old Madison Dalrymple, the daughter of her good friend Hannah, hanging out and looking troubled in the park just prior to the 4th of July fireworks. Madison and her best friend, Cheyenne Baker, would disappear that night, leaving only their bicycles behind. Emmy was the daughter of the sheriff at the time, and they were not well equipped to deal with a dual abduction like this.

"[WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE] hits hard enough to take the breath out of you and leaves behind indelible images of depravity that are difficult to shake."

A car was spotted leaving the scene where the bikes were abandoned, along with some spilled blood. Now, the North Falls police must do the impossible --- look into the background of two seemingly innocent girls and many of the respected adults in their lives. Once the investigation begins, there is no turning back. What they learn is indeed the stuff of small-town nightmares.

It turns out that Cheyenne may have been a bad apple, as well as a drug dealer. There are also some indications of sexual favors being sold, at least by Cheyenne, with Madison along for the ride and clearly being corrupted. The next step is to tie what they find to potential drug dealers or those who may have taken physical advantage of them.

A local nerd who knew the teens and followed them on social media is one of the first of many suspects questioned, along with their teachers and family members. With over a hundred sexual perpetrators living in the county, Emmy is in unchartered territory and has her hands full.

The FBI is called in and takes a strong look at Dale Loudermilk, a chorus teacher who shows signs of being a pedophile but claims to know nothing about the missing girls. Eventually they zero in on a man named Adam Huntsinger, who appears to be a solid suspect. In a true gut-punch moment, Emmy and the police discover the bodies of Madison and Cheyenne tied up at the bottom of a nearby lake. Adam is arrested for the crime and sent to prison.

Twelve years later, Adam --- now known as the Broken Angels killer --- is about to be set free on a technicality. This does not sit well with Emmy. Following the shocking shooting death of her father, she is now the acting sheriff of North Falls. Not long after Adam returns, 14-year-old Paisley Walker goes missing. The game is on once again.

The action then abruptly shifts to San Francisco and Jude Archer, an FBI criminal psychologist who is considered to be one of the best agents in the country at tracking down serial killers and abductors of children. The Paisley Walker case is now on her radar, and her next stop is North Falls. The eventual interactions between Emmy and Jude are classic and incredibly well-written.

The remainder of the novel is a high-octane thrill ride where secrets will be revealed, and the resolution to both the Paisley Walker case and the lost Broken Angels will come out in a stunning finale. I am eager to see Emmy, and hopefully Jude, in future installments of what is sure to be another winning series for Karin Slaughter.