I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down and I was so curious to find out how all of the pieces of the puzzle woven throughout the story would fit together. I definitely was not expecting that ending at all! Really enjoyed the spooky vibes of it all too and definitely recommend if you’re looking for a quick, atmospheric, thriller that will keep you wondering how the ending will play out right up until the finale.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was even better than I expected; twists & turns, atmospheric landscapes and complex characters. Much of the book is set in Burlington VT and you can feel the snow crunch under your boots. I often figure out the ending before I arrive but not this time. One thing I really appreciated in this book was how the author would give a backstory and even with moving between past and present it was done so skillfully I was never lost. Honestly that’s something many writers attempt it do not always get right. And finally I do love a strong female character and although imperfect like us all she really pulls it all together.. I am giving honest feedback for this book provided to me by netgallery.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: April 15, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

This book was great! The atmosphere—eerie, the storyline—pulls you in, the charcters—well developed. I enjoyed every page of this book. There was something lingering everywhere in this book and kept you on your toes as you read. Our author wrote this book in such a way that it felt as though you were there in the middle of the book walking along with the mystery, secrets and lies that are woven throughout this book.

Please ensure to read the TW’s in this book before starting. This is going to be the perfect book to read in the fall all cozied up with a blanket and hot chocolate. You wont want to set this book down until everything is solved. I’ll continue to watch for more to come out from our author.

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Crumbling Orphanage, Impending Snow, K*ller In The Woods, Mysterious, Fast Paced, Eerie Vibe, Blackmail, Secrets & Lies, Inspired By True Events.

This was AMAZING. I am so beyond excited to follow this author and if she continues to write books like this I know she is going to become a huge name. I loved that this was based on a true story and because of that had me even more invested in everything. The MC was so likeable as a strong, smart woman who risks everything to learn the truth.

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt was a fantastic story, inspired by true events.

With skillful writing Bailey Seybolt takes us to a wintry Vermont town where it is rumored that, 50 years ago, a young boy was intentionally drowned by a nun while in the care of an orphanage on the banks of Lake Champlain.

No one talks about it.
Those who do, say it never happened.
Tommy "ran away".
Tommy "never existed".

A true crime writer needing a new start with a fresh story accepts an offer to ghost write a book about
Coram House, the old orphanage with a dark past.

When Alex Kelley arrives in Burlington Vermont, she quickly learns that many things were just not quite right at the orphanage.
In addition to the drowning, she begins to unravel tales of abuse in many forms that occurred 50 years ago at Coram House.

Alex becomes obsessed with proving Tommy not only existed, but was indeed drowned.
As she delves deeper into her investigation, it becomes clear that there are people in Burlington who do not want their secrets exposed.
She knows she is on the right trail when threats against her are made and present day bodies are found.

Through those threats and intimidations, Alex doesn't stop until she unravels the tangled web of abuse and crime at Coram House and its children 50 years ago.

I am always a fan of mysteries based on true stories and this one did not disappoint.
I highly recommend this book to those who love a good mystery with all of the questions answered by the end of an exciting ride.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy of Coram House in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so sorry...I didn't finish this. At 52%, I just didn't care. It's kind of an overdone plot and there was nothing that made this one really special for me.

Kudos to Ms. Seybolt. This debut novel was more like that of a seasoned writer. It gets five-stars from me, partly because I looked forward to picking it up again after life got in the way of my reading.

I enjoyed the characters – especially Alex – along with their flaws. The well told story easily became a page-turner. I thought the ending was maybe a little contrived, but it worked. The descriptions of the winter temps and conditions were spot on.

One annoyance I have that does not take away from my rating is the use of "anyways". "Anyways" is as colloquial as "ain't" and it made me cringe every time it was used. The word should be anyway, no 's' on the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Coram House. I enjoyed it immensely and easily give it five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was a phenomenal book. Especially for a debut!
I was fascinated following Alex on her research and finding out what really happened to Tommy. So many characters woven in to this novel perfectly. And the ending was a complete shocker for me! Was not expecting that at all.
Great book. Loved the setting.

I loved this book. The conspiracy of keeping everything quiet, the twists and turns, never knowing really where it was going. I was on the edge fo my seat while reading it. The plot and story was so well written. The acknowledgment at the end shocked me because I didn't realize that this was based on something that had actually happened. I thoroughly enjoyed the main character and who she was (especially as an author who enjoys true crime myself). I'm very excited for the book to publish so that I can add it my shelves and let friends borrow it. I've already recommended it to my book club as well. A very well written thriller/mystery novel.

3.5 rounded up to 4.
A solid debut novel! It was not at all what I was expecting, as it focused more on the investigative journalism than the creepy abandoned orphanage. But I think that did result in a better story.

I guessed the twist pretty early on, but I've read so ,many thrillers that I'm hypersensitive to any and all hints so I'm fine with that. I think that this was a great balance of dropping enough clues without hitting people over the head with answer. So many readers will still be shocked but it doesn't feel nonsensical. Though the Xander subplot does feel a bit out of place and seems mainly added to try and throw the reader off.

It did feel a tad bit formulaic but I don't think that's the worst thing for a debut novel. Especially when the prose was well written and evocative and the characters were fully realized. I think Bailey Seybolt has potential to be a very successful author!

Alex, a true crime writer, is struggling after the recent death of her husband and her last book flopping. When she is asked to ghost write a book about an orphanage in Burlington, Vermont, she decides this could possibly be a fresh start.

As Alex starts to unravel secrets from the orphanage, a killer seems to be intent on keeping them buried literally and figuratively.

Note, child abuse and some triggers in this book.

Solid 4 🌟

I’ve never been to Burlington, Vermont in the dead of winter but it sure feels like I have🥶The descriptions in this book easily transported me from a beach front property in the Outer Banks to this small town tucked away in the mountains of Vermont. The mystery had me encapsulated and I found myself, like Alex, to be digging for clues the entire time reading this book. If you’re a mood reader I would definitely recommend reading this book on a dark and snowy day, under the blankets, with a hot cup of coffee in your hand.

I loved this book! Knowing nothing about the orphange that the story was based on, I was drawn into the story line immediately. Murder, blackmail and child abuse are covered in this terrifying story about the abuse that childeren suffered in this horrible place. I am going to research the orphange that this was based on and I look forward to reading other books by this author.

This book is truly a "ghost" story going back to the 1950's with the hauntings of the abuse and neglect to children at Coram House. Base loosely on the history of St. Joseph’s Orphanage, As another reviewer mentioned, I took read up on the true history of St. Joseph’s Orphanage and could relate better with the fictional story. Thank you for the advanced read!

This book was weirdly good in a spooky way. It would be good for spooky season . I really enjoyed the creep factor in this one .
Thanks for sharing this story with me to Netgalley and the Publisher.

This was so good! I felt like I was there in the cold, with this overwhelming feeling of unease, waiting to see what would be uncovered next. I love stories like this and trying to figure it out, but the ending surprised me!

This was a very touching story. After the first few chapters I had to pause and research the real story behind St. Joseph’s orphanage which is the real life inspiration for Coram House. I was thoroughly invested. If I had had time to devour this book it would have been a quick read. My two favorite genres are mystery/thrillers and historical fiction so I loved how this felt like both. I definitely recommend this story.

Content warnings: no sexual content, not excessive cursing but still frequent, including many F bombs, trigger warning for the child abuse, both sexual and physical, the children faced in the orphanage.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Coram House
By: Bailey Seybolt

5 Stars

This story will shock and break you. It tells of an orphanage, Coram House, that was a part of some unspeakable things. Abuse, murder, and torture in a home meant to care. This book blended a mix of the new and the old to weave a web of secrets, lies, and murder. When Alex comes to write about Coram House, she knows the past will come to light and wow does it.

This was a well told story that was compelling and shocking. It told of horrors of what power can do. What it can make happen. What it can silence.

This was a well written book. It was a good mix of dramatic and emotional. It was full of danger and mystery that had me guessing till the very end.

And wow, what an ending.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

3.5 stars for this one.
This book was definitely different than what I thought it was going to be. I thought it would be more of a haunted orphanage type setting. But it turned out to be a journalist investigation style book.

The author describes everything with good detail so you can picture what is happening.
One of the things I struggled with is the long chapters and the first half of the book was a little slower than i thought.

However I didn’t see the ending coming at all. That was a twist!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with this arc for an honest review

Thank you, Netgalley & Atria Books, for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

4☆
The story follows writer Alex Kelley, who is contacted to ghostwrite a book about an orphanage from the 1950/60s called Coram House. Coram House was in the public eye in the 1980s after the children who lived there came forwed with their stories of abuse.

The first half of the book took me a while to get through due to the LONG chapters 🥲 and the extensive detail, BUT this did not disappoint!!

For the first time in a while, I was actually satisfied with how the story ended. The way the twist was pieced together at the end had my jaw dropping.