Helen McAllister is dying—and with her final breath, she plans to confess her role in a crime the world never solved. For decades, she lived quietly—serving soup, tending her garden, and hiding the secret that changed everything. But now, as her illness accelerates and time runs out, Helen must confront the truth that has haunted her for years.
With her daughter racing home from across the world and a trusted priest keeping vigil by her bedside, Helen opens a wooden box containing the story of a missing girl named Anna—and her own hidden connection to one of the nation’s most chilling unsolved crimes: the 1982 Tylenol murders.
Told in dual timelines—1980s Chicago and present-day Ohio—Absolution weaves a slow-burn mystery with emotional depth, exploring guilt, legacy, and the unbearable weight of long-held secrets. What begins as a quiet confession becomes a gripping unraveling of truth, consequence, and the cost of silence.
For fans of Kristin Hannah, Diane Chamberlain, and true crime-infused fiction, E. E. Lawson’s debut asks: What’s the price of a secret too heavy to speak aloud?

Praise for Absolution:

“Absolution was phenomenal! Crime junkies and family saga folks are going to fall in love with it!”
—Danielle Stewart, bestselling author of Three Little Lies

“As someone who remembers the Tylenol deaths, this story is so compelling. Emily is a master at dialogue.”
—Mia Sheridan, New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author