The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Towner Whitney is called back to her childhood home of Salem, Massachusetts when she gets word that her Aunt Eva has disappeared. Towner left Salem after her twin sister, Lyndley, died at seventeen and hasn't been back since. The Whitneys are an eccentric family who were some of the first residents of the town. Aunt Eva owns a tea room and "reads" lace to see people's futures, while Towner's mother, May, lives on nearby Yellow Dog Island (which she won't leave) and rescues abused women. When Aunt Eva's body is found drowned, the traumatic memories of Towner's life in Salem come rushing back, especially those involving Lyndley and her father, Cal--who was violent towards the Whitney women. Cal now, fifteen years later, is the leader of a sort-of cult, "the Calvinists" (not to be confused with actual Calvinists), who stir up trouble around Salem bothering the local witches and other residents. Did Cal have something to do with Eva's death and will Towner be able to stay safe amidst all the heartache and violence of the past? Luckily, Detective John Rafferty is there to try and find out the truth about Eva's passing and, in the process, falls for Towner. The Lace Reader is, first and foremost, a novel about family, with the descriptive setting of Salem mixed in along with a gothic feel and touch of mystery.