Five star. Five star. Five star!!!
After reading this book I immediately checked the author to see if she wrote other books because I just want them ALL.
This book hooked me from the first page.
You jump from the past to present.
The church. An orphanage. And a twisted road that will take you in a whole lot of directions. Just when you think you have it figured out, she throws you right back.

This book is a MUST read.

This book's impactful story and vivid descriptions will stay with me for a long time, its images seared into my memory. I can't put into words on how much I have felt this book, to tell you, I love it or I enjoyed it. I feel does not do it justice. I liked the backstory of the main character, a true crime writer, a widow, and her last book flopped. This was a perfect read for me because I was reading it during a week of snowstorms. Bailey Seybolt did a wonderful job for this atmospheric winter read. I felt like I was in Burlington, Vermont. This story was inspired by St. Joseph's Orphanage, where many children suffered abuse. I will definitely being reading other books from this author!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt had me hooked from the very beginning. The story is centered around an orphanage, Coram House, and the mystery of what happened to the children who lived there years ago. I was completely invested in the main character’s journey as they worked to uncover the truth while writing about the orphanage's dark history.

The plot had me guessing at every turn, trying to piece together who was responsible and why people were still dying. Seybolt masterfully keeps the tension high, weaving a compelling narrative that blends past and present seamlessly. It’s a gripping read that had me questioning every character’s motives and eager to uncover the answers.

Highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with plenty of twists and turns!

Book/Story: ⭐️⭐⭐
Book Cover: ⭐️⭐️⭐

Trigger Warning(s): Child Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Sexual)
Religion
Loss Of Spouse
Loss Of Child (mentioned)
Alcoholism (mentioned)
Pedophilia (mentioned)
POV: First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone
First In Series: N/A
Trope(s): None
Spice: ️None
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Burn: Slow
Safe or Dark: Dark
Release Date: April 15, 2025

Please note that this book touches on some very sensitive subjects. I strongly recommend checking the trigger warning before diving into this.

If you enjoyed Netflix’s docuseries, The Keepers, I think you will definitely enjoy this book. Both these stories give off similar vibes. If you are a true crime junkie, I think you will enjoy this book since it’s based on the true stories of St. Joseph's Orphanage.

“It’s more like tearing off a hangnail. Painful, yes, to sever that thread of flesh. But also, a relief.”

Pros

- Bailey Seybold’s writing is lovely. It has an easy flow and is very engaging. It’s entertaining without being over the top. The author perfectly sets the scene of the story, being descriptive without being overwordy. You felt like you were battling the cold with Alex Kelley (FMC) at the Coram House next to the lake. You will definitely get sucked into the eerie theme.

- I think the main character being a true crime writer investigating events that have occurred at an orphanage was an interesting concept.

- I enjoyed how the story was told in different formats. Audio transcripts of police interviews (I wish there were more of them) from children from Coram House (now adults) giving their testimony of things that had happened to and around them while at the orphanage, and the day-to-day perspective and investigating of the main character.

“It’s like, once you’re broken, no one ever really believes that you can be whole again.”

- Flashbacks were sprinkled in nicely without disrupting the flow of the book. We were taken back in time at just the right moments. It was very nicely done.

- I found MOST of the characters to be enjoyable and interesting.

-I didn’t see the end twist coming. As I think back, all the clues were there; I just didn’t piece things together. That was very well done. I ended up giving this book an additional half star solely based on that.

Cons

- One of my only qualms with Seybold's writing was that at times it did get rather repetitive. Alex was constantly going over the facts of the case, which we as the readers didn’t need to hear about. There were some scenes that didn’t do anything to progress the story; they were just sort of there. This unfortunately did slow things down a bit. There’s a lot to unpack with this case, sometimes too much.

Sidenote : This particular sentence both disgusted and humored me. “The air is damp and stale, like walking into a cloud of someone else’s breath.”- I’m sorry, WHAT!?

- The story builds slowly (and I do mean SLOWLY), so if you are looking for a fast burn, this is not the book for you. This is not a fast-paced thriller by any means. I wouldn’t even classify it as a thriller; more like a mystery.

- If you are also a fan of short chapters, this is not the book for you. Most of the chapters in the first part of this book are LONG. That, paired with the pace of the plot, made this very hard for me to get through.

- This just felt very drawn out and could have honestly been at least fifty pages shorter. The point of the book still would have gotten across, and we wouldn’t be missing out on anything.

“I’m just saying, plenty of us have good and bad in us. Just depends which way the balance tips that day.”


- The romance storyline didn’t mesh with the rest of the plot. It felt very forced and didn’t unfold organically. It just wasn’t believable. I also wasn’t aware that it was something that would be happening, as it wasn’t even hinted at in the synopsis. Honestly, it should have/could have been left out entirely. It just wasn’t needed. Seybolt was trying to add something to the story that was unnecessary.

- I just couldn’t get behind Alex as a main character. Something about her drove me crazy; perhaps I found her to be a bit pretentious, or maybe it’s because I found her to be rather flat. She was just sharing the story with us rather than living it. Was she too nosy? Was she just too bland? Did she come off as a know-it-all? I don’t know. There was just something about her I didn’t like.

With that being said, I really enjoyed the fact that Alex was someone who had real-life problems that she was dealing with but was still level-headed and relatively responsible. Despite not being able to get behind her, I did find her to be reliable and, in certain ways, easy to relate to. More often than not in thriller books, FMCs are unreliable, confused, and easily manipulated. This was a great change of pace. I do wish all of the characters had more development and background information given to us.

I wasn’t 100% sure whether to put this in the pros or cons sections, so I just shoved it here.

- The last 25% moved way too fast. The entire book built so slowly until about 75%, and then we just hit the ground running. I wasn’t a big fan of the ending of this one. It wasn’t terrible per se, but I didn’t leave the story feeling completely satisfied.

“That’s the thing with anger— you have to figure out what to do with it. You control it or it will control you.”

Overall, this was a good debut novel. I believe Bailey Seybold has a lot of potential and a promising future as an author.

P.S I wouldn’t bill this as a thriller but more of a mystery. There wasn’t anything really thrilling about it.

TLDR: AN INTERESTING SLOW BURN MYSTERY BASED OFF TRUE BUT SAD EVENTS!

“Sometimes too late is the best we can do.”

As always, please remember that reading is subjective, and that’s what makes it so great. 😊

I would like to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

This is my voluntary, unbiased, and honest review.

This novel attempts to provide a dark and suspenseful setting that is somewhat a trope, the abandoned orphanage slated for reconstruction. The reliable narrator and ,maincharacter is worth rooting for and saves the novel from falling into stereotypical suspense formula.

Alex Kelley is a struggling true crime writer. After the death of her husband and the publication of a massively botched book filled with egregious mistakes, she is left unsure of her own abilities and self-worth. It seems like the perfect opportunity for escape when Alex is contacted by a prestigious lawyer to ghostwrite a book about Coram House, a former (now defunct) orphanage in Burlington, Vermont known for its tragic history of abuse. Alex is tasked with researching and writing about Coram House’s backstory by the very attorney that settled the original case for the orphanage’s victims. But just as she is finding her bearings in a new place among new people, she stumbles across a dead body. Was it an accident or murder? Is her imagination running away with her again, like it did when she authored her last book that ruined lives? Either way, Alex can’t stop thinking about it. Nor can she stop dwelling on the young boy from 1968, only known as “Tommy.” The nuns who ran Coram House insisted he ran away. Another orphan claims he was killed. Alex is determined to find out the truth, but her motives are questionable. Does she want justice for an abused little boy or is her obsessive determination strictly about redemption?

Hooo, boy. This book had me in my mixed feels. In regards to plot and pacing I would give it a 7.5/10; I was eager to see how everything turned out, how all the pieces would fit together, and ultimately if Alex was a reliable narrator. I’m a dark academia freak so the snowy Vermont setting paired with a creepy old orphanage had huge appeal.

Alex Kelley as a character is a 3/10. Seybolt seems like she was trying to write a strong but vulnerable, relatable female protagonist but instead she ended up hitting every stereotype and trope along the way. Alex has social anxiety and her mental health is suffering due to the recent loss of her husband (can’t blame her there), however these tics/foibles only come across as whiny. She is this hot-mess-can’t-take-care-of-herself heroine who harps on and on about not getting enough sleep, surviving on a quality diet of excess wine and coffee, and practically no food. Although when the world begins to close in on her SHE MUST RUN. Then she runs for miles at a time. How she does this with such malnutritious eating and personal care habits I don’t know. Someone please enlighten me.

In addition to this there are an abundance of brooding, self-disparaging observations that only serve to induce the hardest of eye rolls on my part. Alex wants so hard to be relevant and useful in a criminal investigation that she jumps at theories without properly verifying them - which ironically is exactly what landed her in trouble with her trainwreck of a previous book. You would think this was done by Seybolt intentionally but Alex’s character talks about researching things carefully and meticulously so as to avoid these very same screw-ups, then goes and does the total opposite. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the police can make mistakes; they have the potential to overlook things and can allow bias to influence them. But in this case, Alex didn’t even wait for them to make any sort of headway before she was shoving her own half-baked theories down their throats.

When all's said and done, Coram House is a solid 3-star read as the mystery is consistently compelling even despite my issues with the 1st person narration.

I just finished Coram House by Bailey Seybolt, and I really enjoyed it! It was such a page-turner—I hated having to put it down. The characters were so well developed, and I was constantly on the lookout for a twist. The ending did not disappoint! I definitely didn’t see it coming, which is exactly what I love in a thriller.

The story follows Alex, a true crime writer, as she digs into the dark history of Coram House—an old orphanage with a past full of ghosts and abuse. The writing was fantastic, and the story kept me hooked the whole way through. If you love a well-written thriller with a great twist, I’d definitely recommend this one!

Beautifully written and immersive. I felt a bit split between wanting to know more about Alex/her life/her husband and his passing vs more about Coram House and the history there. Overall, I enjoyed this and would read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Well written mystery with great writing. Atmospheric. Recommend for anyone who enjoys books about orphanages and all that goes on there.

Coram House is historical fiction at its finest. Based loosely on the history of St Joseph's Orphanage in Vermont, this is the story of young children who were forced to live through some truly horrific things thanks to the adults (all religious, mind you) who were supposed to be caring for them. This book is not for the faint of heart - there's rape, there's murder, there's pedophiles, there's child abuse - but it's so extremely important for people to hear the story so that, hopefully, it will never happen again.
The mystery aspect of this book was rather intense, she really had me hooked and I was shocked at the ending. I'm looking forward to recommending this one to my library patrons!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow - I am blown away by Bailey Seybolt's debut novel. Inspired by a true story, Coram House is an eerie, slow burn mystery thriller that kept me guessing right up until its startling finale. Disgraced true crime writer Alex Kelley accepts a ghostwriting book gig. Tasked with researching and writing about Coram House, a Vermont orphanage with a terrible history, Alex settles in for a New England winter. Bodies start to pile up, and Alex butts heads with both local law enforcement and local residents. Will Alex be able to save her writing career and uncover the truth? Or is she at risk of becoming a true crime story herself?

Highly recommend, especially for fans of Tana French, Flynn Berry, Dervla McTiernan, etc.

With her former personal and professional life in shambles, Alex accepts a ghost writing contract and relocates to Vermont in the depths of to begin unwinding the complicated, dark history of the Coram House. Operated as a Catholic orphanage, generations of children were mistreated, abused and largely forgotten by the citizens of Burlington. But histories have a way of clawing their way out of the past. As she digs deepening into the past, Alex finds herself in a living nightmare where no one seems quite what they seem to be and the bodies start to stack up. Based on the true, tragic history of St. Joseph Orphanage, Coram House is an atmospheric page-turner where the monsters are walking among us.

Many thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advanced review copy. All opinions shared are exclusively my own.

Definitely a page turning mystery!! I love a true crime writer as a man character spine with big successes and big failures! Children being abused is always hard to read about but I have a big place in my heart for kids. Quite an enjoyable book! Impressive debut!

Bailey Seybolt, has quite frankly stolen the show with her upcoming release, Corsm House .

Bookstagram has been swirling and twirling anticipating the release of this jazzy little number.

I love love love debut authors and between the cover and description I was all in .

Drawing inspiration from the true stories of St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Coram House IS the book of the year .

I could not get enough, I physically could not flip the pages fast enough and I was salivating with every twist . This book is absolutely amazing and I can not wait to see what Seybolt comes out with next.

Check out this teaser :

Sharp Objects meets I Have Some Questions for You in this haunting novel—inspired by a true story—about a crime writer who risks everything as she investigates the mystery of two deaths, decades apart, at a crumbling Vermont orphanage.

On a blistering summer day in 1968, nine-year-old Tommy vanishes without a trace from Coram House, an orphanage on the shores of Lake Champlain. Some say a nun drowned him, others say he ran away. Or maybe he never existed. Fifty years later, his disappearance is still unsolved.

Struggling true crime writer Alex Kelley needs a fresh start. When she’s asked to ghostwrite a book about the orphanage—and the abuses that occurred there—she packs up her belongings and moves to wintry Burlington, Vermont.

As Alex tries to untangle the conflicting stories surrounding Tommy’s disappearance, her investigation takes a chilling turn when she discovers a woman’s body in the lake. Alex is convinced the death is connected to Coram House’s dark past, even if local police officer Russell Parker thinks she’s just desperate for a career-saving story. As the body count rises, Alex must prove that the key to finding the killer lies in Tommy’s murder, or risk becoming the next victim.

This was such an enjoyable and twisty mystery. I loved the overall story and snowy setting. There was so much to this, with different twists and turns and I really enjoyed it. My only complaint was it felt a little long, drug out in some places. But this is one I’d definitely recommend.

Coram House - Bailey Seybolt
Alex is in desperate need of a fresh start and when presented with the opportunity to ghost write a novel about Coram house, she can't resist. She packs up her belongings and makes the move to Burlington, Vermont, ready to immerse herself into the dark history of Coram House.
In 1968, little Tommy vanished from the orphanage they called Coram House. Tommy was never found, but the case detailed the abuse that regularly occurred at the hands of the nuns.
Alex dives into the old files, interview tapes, and tries to track down anyone who might have any information regarding Coram House.
As she dives deeper into the case, she finds a dead body on the lake. She can't help but think it is somehow related to Coram House all these years later and if she doesn't get to bottom of it, she could possibly be next.
This book pulled me in from the very beginning and didn't let go until the very end. I found myself as invested as Alex was, needing to know what really happened to Tommy and what happened at Coram House. I found the book to be an easy read with the perfect flow to keep you captivated. I also love a good thriller that is inspired by a true story that sends me down the research rabbithole! This one comes out April 15th, and i definitely recommend adding it to those 2025 tbr lists! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you Netgalley for the awesome ARC!

“Coram House” first intrigued me after seeing it recommended for fans of “Sharp Objects” and then learning it is based around real life tragedies that took place in the well known Vermont orphanage “St Joseph’s”

Alex is a true crime writer who is tasked with covering the events surrounding Coram House such as the drowning of a child named Tommy.

I enjoyed the book splitting off into multiple writing formats including things such as audio recorded from interviews, the interviewees being present day adults who were once children living at Corum House and asked to give their testimony of events as they remember it first hand.

The book is definitely slow burn so if you are looking for something fast paced this may not be your speed, however if you are willing to invest time into seeing how things unfold you may just find yourself enjoying it.

Coram House although long abandoned on a wooded hillside above a lake was once an orphanage. with a less than stellar reputation. In the summer of 1968 nine year old Tommy vanishes and the nuns say he ran away although a few children maintain he drowned in the lake. Fast forward 50 years the church has settled with former residents on their claims of negligence and abuse. Struggling true crime writer iAlex Kelley iss approached about ghostwritijg a history of the orphanage. Needing a fresh story she packs up and moves to Burlington, Vermont. Her research reflects conflicting stories and even now witnesses are reluctant to speak of their experiences. Alex believes there is a darker story behind the already grim history and digs deeper. On a morning job she discovers a body on the shoreline and her identity connects her to Coram House. More violence and death follows leaving Alex with the chilling realiation that someone would do anything to protect the secrets. This haunting narrative is loosely based on real events at St. Joseph's Orphanage in Vermont and spotlights historic child abuse and neglect making it a gritty and disturbing read at times. Alex is a protagonist with some darkness in her own childhood and has known great heights and dismal failures in her career making her an engaging character. I understand this was the author's first book and as a reader I was quite impressed with her debut and would definitely read other work.

A TRILLING MYSTERY. I was sucked in the entire time. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc!

It is 2010 and Alex, a true crime writer, is hired to ghostwrite the story of abuse during the 1960s at Coram House, a one time orphanage on Lake Champlain in Vermont operated by nuns and priests. Her employer is the attorney who represented former residents in a settlement with the Catholic Church. Her contract gives him total control over what she writes, as well as an NDA. Widowed, and the author of a second novel that led to some disgrace, she moves to Burlington in the middle of a cold, dark winter. Haunted by the tale of Tommy, a young child supposedly drowned by Sister Cecile and another student, she doggedly investigates that part of the story despite the hostility toward her inquiries. When a murder occurs, and then another, she is convinced they are related to her investigation. Why the silence about Tommy and who is complicit in keeping it quiet?

Wow! What a debut novel! Inspired by the true story of abuse at Saint Joseph’s orphanage which operated in Vermont from 1854 to 1974, the book is atmospheric, twisty, and suspenseful. I could not put it down. I liked the writing technique of interspersing the story with testimony of some of the characters during the compensatory trial in the late 1980s. This was a great read.