The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Barely out of the hospital in CA, recovering from life-saving surgery, Towner Whitney is called home to Salem MA because her great-aunt Eva is missing. Towner reluctantly returns to the town she abandoned after the death of her twin sister, only to discover her great-aunt is dead. As Tonwer and others grapple with their belief that her uncle Cal is to blame, events in town escalate toward further violence. Towner herself starts to unravel as the secret of her past are brought to light in a journey toward self-discovery and redemption.

I made the mistake of starting this book in the evening and was unable to put it down. The power of Barry's writing is undeniable; her haunting narrative pulls you into Towner's reality, and it it only gradually that you realize just how skewed that reality is. This book is a sensitive and moving narrative of one woman's attempt to recover her past in order to ensure her future.

I highly recommend this book, which is one of the best I've read this year. Five strong stars.