Carol Goodman has similar character types and patterns in her novels. Obviously I like them as I've read five of them, but if this is your first or second read, be prepared.

That said, I really enjoyed Arcadia Falls. The present day character Meg Rosenthal takes a teaching job at a remote art school after the death of her husband. I admit I was more interested in Lilly's story, a women who helped found the Arcadia school in the 1920s. I was also pleasantly surprised that Goodman added lesbian and bisexual characters to the story, as I said I have read four of her other novels and this the first I can recall of her having non-straight main and secondary characters. So that was pretty awesome.

All of her books in general are very intellectual and usually artistically intellectual. There's mystery and murder too so it's not too dry but again, if that's not your cup of tea, best look elsewhere.