Books like Return by Sharon Sala

Catherine Fane, a schoolteacher, travels to rural Kentucky to fulfill her late guardian’s wish by burying her body near a secluded cabin. The town of Camarune, steeped in superstition, quickly labels Catherine a witch—just as it once did to Lily, the kind woman who raised her after her parents were mysteriously murdered. In the isolation of the cabin, Catherine attempts to understand her life while hiding from the town’s animosity. She meets Luke DePriest, the town’s handsome sheriff, who vows to protect her and, together, they investigate a thief who leaves strange wooden carvings at his crime scenes. A violent confrontation culminates when a deranged farmer shoots her, shaking the community into awareness. As the danger subsides, Luke and Catherine confront their feelings, and she finally uncovers the long‑lost truth about her past.

First publish date: 2000