The premise of this story sounded just like the thrillers/mysteries that I love, however this story didn't hit for me. It was too slow and lacked urgency to the point that I became disinterested in what was happening. Alex the MC was also unlikeable and she lacked depth. I wish this author good luck but this story wasn't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the chance to read this early in exchange of an honest review.

The premise of Coram House makes for an intriguing read. While I enjoyed the book, I would not call it fast paced and certain passages I thought were unnecessary and/or too contrived.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book!

Imagine, if you will, a bone-chilling Vermont winter, where snowflakes dance like specters in the frigid air. This is the haunting backdrop of Bailey Seybolt's "Coram House," a slow-burn mystery that will send shivers down your spine long after you've turned the final page.

Our protagonist, Alex, is a crime writer we can't help but root for. Battling the twin demons of grief and a career setback, she takes on a ghostwriting gig that plunges her into the dark, twisted history of Coram House. What was once a children's refuge now stands as a monument to unspeakable horrors, its walls echoing with the whispers of long-buried secrets.

As Alex delves deeper into the mystery of Tommy, a missing boy whose fate unknown, we're drawn into a labyrinth of conflicting testimonies and half-truths. Seybolt masterfully weaves a tapestry of intrigue, each thread a tantalizing clue that keeps us guessing.

But hold onto your seats, fellow thrill-seekers, because this is where our tale takes a sharp turn into the macabre. Alex's research morphs into a deadly game of cat and mouse when she stumbles upon a fresh corpse – a grisly discovery that hints at a string of murders tied to Coram House's sordid past.

Seybolt's prose is a delicious slow poison, building tension with exquisite patience. The author navigates the weighty themes of grief, abuse of power, and vengeance with a deft touch, never letting the gravity of these issues overshadow the pulse-pounding mystery at the heart of the story.

Overall, I highly recommend this atmospheric, heart-pounding mystery.

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley, for my free books.

Bailey Seybolt's debut novel, CORAM HOUSE, has been on my TBR for months now. It's getting so much buzz from people I trust, so I knew I needed to dive in. If you liked Ruth Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway (I don't know why it does, but), Ashley Winstead's newest book This Book Will Bury Me, or Jessica Knoll's Young Bright Women, then you will enjoy CORAM HOUSE!

In 1968, nine-year-old Tommy vanishes without a trace from Coram House, a mysterious orphanage with a dark reputation on Lake Champlain. Fifty years later, struggling true crime writer Alex Kelley moves to Burlington, Vermont, to uncover the truth behind the home's dark history—but her research takes a deadly turn when she discovers a woman’s body in the lake. As more victims emerge, Alex must convince skeptical officer Russell Parker that solving Tommy’s disappearance is the key to stopping a killer before she becomes the next target.

This book is more of a mystery/suspense than a thriller, but definitely a fun ride for readers who enjoy true crime and investigative stories. Although this book is a work of fiction, the subject matter is pulled from a true story. The Coram House setting itself is bone chilling and scary, which provided all the great vibes I needed to venture through. The story is a bit too slow pacing wise for me, which ultimately led me astray a little bit, but the book overall was a great read. Slow burn suspense infused with true crime investigative series vibes, CORAM HOUSE felt like a journey seen on Investigation Discovery. I am excited to see what Bailey Seybolt comes up for readers next!

I wanted to read this based on the comparison to Tana French and I will say, as a massive fan of hers I really enjoyed this! A new literary thriller talent that I can't wait to read more from.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

First off, this was a really enjoyable thriller. The setting was fun, I liked the characters, and I didn't see the twist coming fully. It's a really good police thriller. The problem is that it felt marketed as something different. I absolutely loved the depositions mixed in too

The things I didn't love that pull down the rating:
- I thought the creepy old orphanage would play a bigger role. I wanted atmospheric creepy vibes and you don't go into the orphanage but twice. Sure it's central to the story but not much of the setting.
- This would be a fantastic winter read, I am a little confused by an April publication. The winter setting is the most atmospheric part of the book.
- Alex does some really stupid things, I really don't know how she doesn't get herself killed.

If this would have been marketed as a police procedural thriller without the creepy vibes and I had read this in the depths of winter I think it would have been rated much higher. However the expectations were off on the marketing and I feel like I owe it to try and set them more right for future readers.

3.5/5.0

Coram House delivers a chilling, atmospheric mystery with a richly layered plot and a haunting wintery setting. The mixed media chapters added a unique touch, and I appreciated the real-life inspiration from St. Joseph’s Orphanage. While I enjoyed the overall mystery and uncovering the orphanage’s dark secrets alongside Alex, the main character, the slow pacing and overly long narrative made it a bit of a struggle at times. The ending, though fitting, was surprisingly predictable. Ultimately, while this was an impressive debut, the writing style just wasn’t for me, which kept me from fully connecting with the story.

Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy! 💙

This book grabbed me and didn’t want to let go! I love when that happens. I found it fascinating that it was based on a true story. I’ve been on a kick lately about cold cases and this fit it. With the added benefit of a true crime writer being the MC. This was a great read.

This was such a nice break in thrillers that I have read. The story is enthralling, I wanted to keep finding out what had happened. There are transcripts of interviews mixed throughout that helped to build tension and shed light on the past. And the whole time I was just along for the ride, waiting to see what was going to happen next. It had really good use of past and present timelines.

When I read the premise of this book, I knew I had to pick it up! A book inspired by a true story, set in an abandoned orphanage? Yes, please!
The setting was incredibly atmospheric, and I loved how the book incorporated police interview transcripts. Plus, that plot twist at the end? My jaw was on the floor!
Unfortunately, the pacing felt slow and repetitive, with a lack of any real suspense. While the beginning dragged, the ending felt rushed in comparison. I also struggled to connect with the main character. She lacked depth and development, making her feel one dimensional. The side characters felt similarly flat, existing merely to push the plot forward than to truly feel like necessary parts of the story.
I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy true crime and slow burn mysteries, but if you're looking for a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller, this one might fall flat.

🅁🄰🅃🄸🄽🄶 : 3

🄵🄾🅁 🅁🄴🄰🄳🄴🅁🅂 🅆🄷🄾 🄻🄸🄺🄴

☆  Mystery / Thriller
☆  Atmospheric Setting
☆  Cold Case Investigation
☆  Small Town Secrets
☆  Dual Timelines

🄵🄰🅅🄾🅁🄸🅃🄴 🅂🄲🄴🄽🄴

After being arrested for a DUI, Xander is careening down the halls of the police station when he quite literally runs into Alex. Slurring, he tells her she's pretty and asks if he could buy her dinner while being held up by officer Parker.

🄵🄰🅅🄾🅁🄸🅃🄴 🅀🅄🄾🅃🄴

-The quotes referenced are from an advanced reader's copy and may not reflect the final version. Please refer to the finished copy for accuracy.-

"It's always women who give you more than they should."

"No one appreciates gentleness until faced with its opposite."

"Sarah Dale was unreliable. Unstable. Prone to exaggeration. How many times has someone dismissed the words of a woman or child as untrustworthy?"


Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy of this gripping book in exchange for an honest review.

True crime writer Alex Kelley is struggling after the complete failure of her second book. She's contracted to write a book about Coram House, an orphanage in Vermont.

Coram House closed after many allegations of abuse, mental, physical and sexual. In court documents, the testimonies of several former residents mention the abuse, and one story sticks out. Tommy, a small boy, 'ran away' according to the nuns, but according to one girl, Sarah, Tommy was drowned by one of the older children.

Alex starts to explore Tommy's disappearance when she finds the body of a dead woman. This body is the tip of the iceberg, and Alex is determined to solve the mysteries of Coram House.
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Bailey Seybolt was inspired by the horror of St Joseph's Orphanage in Vermont. The depositions from that case are pure nightmare fuel, so beware. That inspiration couldn't have settled well in Seybolt's mind when crafting this thriller.

The story is intriguing, but I did find myself bored at points. I don't feel that the details of the Vietnamese restaurant were necessary, especially for the meeting. It just felt like it was there to meet a word count. Alex was a bit of a loon, but I liked her. She's still deep in grief and moving that energy into this case.

This is a good thriller, but it's not the best I've read this year. Still, it was a good mystery, and I needed to know how it ended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I wanted to love this, and while I’m grateful for the ARC - this was off putting from the outset for me. Little to no characterization. The atmosphere, while well-described, felt hollow. I wasn’t a huge fan and didn’t find myself wrapped up in the thrills and mystery like I typically do with a thriller. Not for me.

I devoured Coram House by Bailey Seybolt. This debut is an absolute banger; I could barely put it down (hence why I finished it in 3 days).

Synopsis: In 1968, nine-year-old Tommy disappears from Coram House, an eerie orphanage by Lake Champlain. Fast forward fifty years, and true-crime writer Alex Kelley, who’s kinda down on her luck, rolls up to ghostwrite a book about the place and its dark past. Things get complicated when Alex finds a woman’s body by the lake, and she’s convinced it’s all tied to the orphanage’s creepy history. Cue the twists, turns, and all the suspense!

I love me a dual timeline. Seybolt masterfully weaves past and present, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The gothic vibes of Coram House are immaculate … totally haunting and atmospheric. And that twist at the end? Didn’t see it coming. Mind = blown.

If you’re into thrillers that keep you guessing and love a good eerie setting, Coram House is a must-read. Bailey Seybolt just set the bar HIGH for debuts. Can’t wait to see what she drops next! #ThrillerReads #BookTok #MustRead #CoramHouse #BaileySeybolt

Chilling, suspenseful, and atmospheric, with a moderate pace, I really enjoyed this debut novel. Alex was not particularly likeable--annoying at times--but the writing flowed smoothly, and the setting was described so well I felt the cold down to my bones. I liked how the mystery unfolded and kept me guessing. I look forward to more from this author!

This was my first thriller read in quite some time and it didn’t disappoint! I really enjoyed the story telling and format of the writing- from court testimony to police interviews. It was engaging and I kept turning the pages. It did start pretty slow (hence the bumped down rating) but once I got about 40% in, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down! I was intrigued that it was based on a true story (St Joseph’s Orphanage) and it was interesting to learn about. I will say to look up any and all trigger warnings regarding sexual abuse, religious trauma and child abuse. Overall, really engaging thriller and would definitely read books by this author in the future!!

The premise seemed so interesting but I couldn’t get into the writing style. It felt so choppy and elementary.

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt is a highly recommended atmospheric mystery inspired by a true story.

Writer and recent widow Alex Kelley accepts the opportunity to be the ghost writer for a true crime story following unsolved mysteries at an abandoned orphanage in Vermont. The orphanage called Coram House is located on the shores of Lake Champlain. Years previously a settlement was made for the adult survivors for the abuse they received there. Now the detective who as in charge of the case wants to publish a book about it and he will pay Alex to write it.

Once Alex arrives in Vermont, she brings the many boxes of files, interviews, etc. about the case to her rented residence and she begins the discovery process. What captures her attention is the 1968 disappearance of nine-year-old Tommy. Some survivors say he ran away but it is also said that a nun drowned him. There are other conflicted accounts of abuse inflicted on the children. As Alex begins investigating and interviewing people, she discovers a woman's body in the lake, and she know it was not an accident.

This is a slow-burning, atmospheric tale so don't expect heart-stopping action along the way. Along with being atmospheric, it is also a very descriptive novel. It will hold the attention of readers who enjoy procedurals and investigative novels where information is slowly and carefully exposed and revealed while connections are made.

Actually, my appreciation of the novel increased while reading. The final chapters and the surprising twist raised my rating. Early on, between the slow pace, constant bottles of wine being consumed, and the endless descriptions of the cold weather I wasn't feeling very interested. (It's Vermont in the winter, most readers will understand winter.)

None of the main characters are especially sympathetic or likeable. Alex's husband died recently, so there is some sympathy for her grief. She also has tenacity in following the trail of information she's on even when others are trying to discourage her focus on it. Included between chapters are transcripts of testimony from the adult survivors.

This is a debut mystery that shows some promise for future novels. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I should preface this review by saying I live in Burlington Vermont so the story hits very close to home and my father and his two closest brothers spent time at Saint Joseph’s orphanage when they were children, and I have a few horror stories of my own that have been passed down in my family about the atrocities that occurred there.
I loved Coram House. My favorite thing in books is character development, and you really felt like you knew the main characters. The history and the mystery combined created a vortex that sucked you in and made it very hard to stop reading this book.
The main character, Alex was hired to ghost write a book about a crumbling orphanage called Coram House on the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont.
There are many stories about crimes against children that occurred there between 1950 1970 by the nuns and priest that were in charge of caring for the children. Alex, the struggling writer was mourning the loss of her husband and attempting to revive her career that had been hurt by the true crime book she wrote last.
She moved to Vermont to try and right some of those wrongs. Just as Alex starts her research, she stumbles on a crime scene. A woman is pushed to her death on the shore of Lake Champlain. Alex meets a police officer liaison named Parker who she begins to trust and maybe like, but bodies start piling up, and questions still remain unanswered. The orphanage is being made into luxury apartments so there are many who will benefit from quieting the questions about the crimes that occurred there including the possible murder of children. Is Alex in danger becoming the next victim? The story is chilling and it’s authentically and beautifully written. It speaks of the ghosts we all have in our lives and those of us willing to brave it anyway.

This was a twisty thriller/mystery with lots of surprises I didn't see coming. I really enjoyed this story and the setting of Vermont in winter and would definitely read more from this author in the future rating this one 3/3.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story had a lot of potential, but it just didn’t pan out. Instead of being immersed in the dark history of the old orphanage like I’d hoped, we just followed the main character around while she asked the same questions over and over again. It was incredibly slow moving, and I found that I didn’t really care at all about the mystery. I was very bored for the last two thirds. And the ending didn’t make up for it. It was just okay.

I did like the wintery setting, and the frequent mentions of coffee and food (I really love when books talk about what the characters are eating 😅). Though I was a bit taken aback by how many of the main character’s meals consisted of only alcohol and carbs 😂