This was a really gripping read, with a narrator that was easy to believe in and side with, even while her work is potentially exploitative of tragedy. The twists were both seen and unseen, and there were just enough legitimate red herrings to keep you guessing until the final reveal. I stayed up past my bedtime when I was at 80% because I just NEEDED to know.

Alex is a reporter turned true crime author who is reeling from the loss of her husband and the subsequent failure of her second book. Life is at a low point when she agrees to sign a contract and move to Vermont to write about the infamous Coram House orphanage. Alex arrives in Burlington and as she starts digging into the boxes of information related to the House, the lawsuit and settlement with the Church, and the current state of the House (being developed into condos), she realizes that there are some really big questions no one ever tried to answer.

It leads her down a path of pain and revelations, of forgiveness, of the nature of good and bad within all of us, and the lengths we will go to for money...and for love.

The ending was tragic, but also ended on a note where you finally felt Alex might be back on an upward trajectory with her life.

Content warnings: references to child abuse and neglect, religious trauma, descriptions of dead bodies (adults), and violence.

🏠Book Review🏠
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My thoughts- thank you so much @netgalley and @simonbooks for the advanced reader copy. This one came out earlier this month and is available where books are sold today. This would be a great read for true crime lovers! The story was a great premise but ultimately I found this one a bit too slow for my liking. It was a cool concept but it just felt slow and repetitive, it took a while to draw me in and for the action to start. If you like a slow burn then this one is for you!
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Summary- 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.
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QOTD- any fun weekend plans?! My husband took off with me today since it’s spring break for me, we’re off to the zoo and a brewery after! 😍
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Alex is a crime writer with a complicated past. She had great success with her first novel and the second one was a huge failure. This and other things in her life have caused her to really stumble in going any further. Then she is contacted to ghost write a novel about The Coram House Orphanage and all that took place there, including a 50 year old case that hasn't been solved. She gives up her life and moves to Vermont, hoping this will be just what her career needs. Coram House is a character all in itself, gothic and creepy, and really sets the tone for the story. It's also set deep in Winter which also adds another layer of gloom and eeriness. She starts to uncover all of the terrible things that happened in the past and how they are weaving their way into the present. The author really gives you that sense of foreboding and you find yourself just waiting for something bad to happen. It's a pretty slow burn, but I was drawn into the story and couldn't look away. There were quite a few surprises along the way that I definitely didn't see coming.

I think that Bailey Seybolt is a debut author to watch and I can't wait to see what she writes in the future. I was also quite interested to learn that even though this was a work of fiction, that it was based on stories from an actual orphanage, St. Joseph's in Vermont. It's pretty horrific what has been done to vulnerable children who were supposedly being helped by these places.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this #gifted copy. Published 04/15/2025. If you like a creepy, atmospheric mystery, give this one a try!

Coram house is a strong debut by seybolt. Set in Vermont, it follows Alex, a journalist, who is investigating a law suit against coram house, an orphanage run by nuns and priests in years past. The lawsuit claims abuse by those running the house and other heinous crimes against the orphans-including a particularly chilling disappearance of one 9 year old. During Alex’s investigation a body turns up that begins to complicate the investigation even further and bring Alex closer to danger than she imagined.

This is a fun read-the setting and atmosphere are perfect-gothic and chilling. I loved the experts of interviews of the lawsuit in the 1980s that helped bring clarity to the present crimes. There are also some themes explored here with child explotation and religious institutions that are a bit deeper than one may expect originally from the description. A strong debut and I’m excited to see what the future holds for this author.
Thanks to the punisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This was a perfectly moody read, set in a small town. Alex is a writer investigating an old lawsuit against a local orphanage, which reportedly mistreated the children. I didn't love her as a main character - she's very irresponsible - but she's also harboring a lot of sadness. Alex gets involved with the locals who all seem to be hiding secrets. I like the slow pace of this novel, and the writing was great. I didn't guess what the major twist would be so that felt fresh and unexpected.

This novel revolves around a true crime writer who is researching the history of an orphanage in Vermont that was infamous for the abuse of the residents and the disappearance of some, including one unsolved disappearance of a 9 year old boy. This is Bailey Seybolt's debut but it's obvious she spent the time and effort to research the orphange the book is loosely based on. By incorporating mixed media, Seybolt gives this fiction a decidely nonfiction feel that leaves the readers wondering how much of the story is real. While the story builds slower than the usual thriller, the last half of the book is better for the time invested in the first half. Seybolt is definitely an author to follow.

Struggling true crime author Alex comes Vermont to ghost write a novel about Coram House, a notorious orphanage closed years ago. While researching the book, she becomes engrossed in the mysterious disappearance of a young boy from Coral House named Tommy.

This was a really good thriller! Here's what I liked:

Alex: She was a great character. You get a lot of her background along with the present day storyline. There were times I felt so bad for her. I wanted her to succeed in her mission to find out what happened to Tommy. I loved all of her interactions with the other characters as well. She's a really well-rounded character.

The setting: I've never been to Vermont but this book made me feel like I had. The harsh cold and snow really got to me, getting me into the story. In particular, the scenes on the water and in the woods really got me cold! Along with that, Corman House has such a creepy quality to it. Almost haunted.

The twists: There were a few times when reading that I literally gasped, not seeing what was coming! Well-laid out mystery!

All in all a really solid thriller!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

I really enjoyed this one! I did find that some of the plot twists were a bit predictable but otherwise it was an overall captivating mystery. I also think the publishing date should’ve been earlier in the year, this is a perfect winter read. The writing was immersive and atmospheric, I could envision Coram House and the elements very clearly.

In this haunting mystery debut, inspired by real events, a disgraced true crime writer named Alex is hired to ghostwrite a book about Coram House, an old Vermont orphanage where atrocities once occurred. Still reeling from the fallout of her last book and the death of her husband, Alex throws herself headlong into the mysteries of Coram House – including the disappearance of a nine-year-old boy from the orphanage in 1968. When a woman ends up dead, Alex is sure the death is connected to Coram House’s dark past. But as she starts forging more and more connections, it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want her resurrecting the past.

Coram House is a solid debut, and it’s clear that Bailey Seybolt has a lot of promise. The book’s atmosphere is richly-conveyed; everything about Coram House is chilling, from the Vermont winter setting itself, to the halls of Coram House, to the descriptions of the crimes committed. I really enjoy fictionalized true crime novels, so I loved the vibes of the book – there’s lots of researching and digging into the past, and there are excerpts of court transcripts that add another compelling element to the story. Alex is the kind of character you really root for, even though her persistence borders on annoying, even though she doesn’t always make the best decisions. I also liked the way Seybolt portrayed the grief process: how there is no clear path or timeline for making it through and how it manifests in lots of different ways. Her writing is quite lovely.

The burn on this one, though, is just a bit too slow. It did start to drag after a while and the pacing could’ve been much tighter. Although I feel like the format can be overused, I do think Coram House would have benefitted from a past and present timeline. I wanted more about Coram House’s history than what the transcripts gave me, and I think that format would’ve added more tension to the narrative. But the conclusion was surprising and satisfying, and overall Coram House is an impressive debut that has me interested in whatever Seybolt writes next.

Thank you to Atria Books for the complimentary reading opportunity.

Coram House was the type of thriller I am drawn to- a slow burn true crime that has a mystery someone is trying to uncover.

Overall, I felt this one was pretty engaging and interesting! It definitely is a slower pace for a thriller but I still didn’t want to stop reading. While I found the MC annoying, it didn’t make me not want to read the book. I kinda guessed parts of the ending but was surprised by several aspects of it. I enjoyed the writing and was surprised when I saw it was a debut!

I am excited to see what the author comes out with next- overall a good debut!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of Coram House by Bailey Seybolt. What an impressive debut! This atmospheric slow-burn thriller completely drew me in. Seybolt masterfully tells the story of Alex, a struggling crime writer, weaving tension, pain and emotion into every page.

What made this novel especially compelling was its loose connection to the horrifying real-life events at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Vermont—an eerie, haunting backdrop that added depth and intensity. The twists kept me guessing right up until the final chapter, and I’m still wondering how I didn’t see it coming.

With strong character development and an intricately layered plot, Coram House is a standout first novel. I can’t wait to see what Bailey Seybolt writes next.

True Crime Writer Alex Kelly is grieving the loss of her husband and dealing with the blowback of a failed book. She is offered to ghostwrite a true crime story of an orphanage in Burlington, Vermont with a history of abuse. A court case that was settled thirty years ago. Alex starts digging and asking questions and finds more than what she bargained. A dead body.

This book starts slow and it's hard to connect with the main character. But once the mystery started taking shape I devoured it. I had to know what was happening and why. I enjoyed following the clues with Alex and I had no idea until the end. This was a fantastic mystery/thriller. I can't wait to see what else the author writes.

This book had me tense from the start with the prologue in the POV of a child living at The Coram House that witnesses something awful happen, straight into interview transcripts with now-grown residents of The Coram House and then on location when writer Alex Kelley arrives on scene and her initial tour of the location...creepy! 
The setting is definitely a main character in this one—it’s very atmospheric in the winter woods surrounding a large lake with an old orphanage right in the middle of it all. 
I was not FULLY surprised by the twist, but the characters, setting, the history and plot were all so intense that I flew through this one: definitely a page turner. 
I do wish we had more of Alex’s backstory with her late husband and even more about her “flop” of a last book, but her drive to get the story to right for the kids of The Coram House was strong thought out the book. 
Would definitely recommend this thriller/mystery, especially for fans of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and/or the movie Spotlight.

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.

Alex is a character I had mixed feelings about. She tends to jump to conclusions and she also does not seem to be a very nice person. And usually characters like this throw me off. But, the intensity of this tale had me captivated. I could not get this orphanage and the trauma surrounding it out of my head.

Even though I saw the twist coming, I am still giving this 5 stars. I loved the history of the orphanage and all the creepiness that this added to the tale.

Need an intense, creepy read with a twist…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Coram House
by Bailey Seybolt
Pub Date: Apr 15 2025

Coram House is inspired by an actual true story about a crime writer who risks everything as she investigates the mystery of two deaths, decades apart at a crumbling Vermont orphanage. It's a page turning slow read, but well worth it. The plot involves historical child abuse at religious institutions, there are a lot of police interviews, flashbacks based on terrible real-life crimes at St Joseph's Orphanage in Vermont.

Be warned, a very dark read. At times I had to put it down to take a break from reading it even though it was an interesting read. Knowing it is from actual events is what made it so interesting for me.

Many thanks to #AtriaBooks #NetGalley for providing me an E-ARC of this book.

“Did you ever suspect?”
“Never. Not for a minute.”

Those two lines from the epilogue of Bailey Seybolt’s debut novel, Coram House, perfectly sum up how I felt. Bailey Seybolt got me, and I didn’t mind a bit. In fact, I think I might have found another must-read author. Everything about this book works, from the small-town vibes to the creepy old building with echoes of abuse and neglect.

Huge thanks to Atria Books and Bailey Seybolt for this chilling ARC!

Have you ever picked up a book and instantly felt like the walls around you disappeared? 😅 Coram House did exactly that. Once I stepped inside this twisted orphanage mystery, I couldn’t stop reading. I was hooked from the first page. 🖤

👀 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭:
The grim, eerie atmosphere wrapped around this story like a fog. 😶‍🌫️It was absolutely haunting in the best way. Our FMC is a disgraced true crime writer digging into 30-year-old misconduct and abuse at a secluded orphanage. The past is DARK, and the secrets? Endless. 🫣

👀 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
🏚️ A creepy building with a dark history
✍️ A writer with secrets of her own
⚰️ Flashbacks that will chill you
⚖️ Major “Who do I trust?” vibes
❓Twists that hit hard and unexpectedly

👀 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠:
This is a slow burn thriller done right. 👏 Nothing is rushed, but nothing drags either. It builds tension with each chapter.

👀 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭?
YES—but with content warnings. If you’re sensitive to child abuse or sexual assault (described in flashbacks), approach with care. 🖤 This book isn’t horror, but it is haunting. It’s the kind of mystery that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page. 📖

👀 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟:
💥 Gillian Flynn
💥 Ashley Flowers
💥 Tana French

👀 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐝:
Dark & brooding 🌑 | Slow burn suspense 🕰️ | Hauntingly emotional 🫥

👀 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
🔎 Investigative thrillers with dark pasts
🧱 Isolated, small-town settings
👻 Gothic vibes without the ghosts
🧬 Long-buried secrets & institutional corruption
✍️ True crime-inspired fiction

I still can’t believe this book was a debut. It’s writing with such poise and amazing talent. This is one of the best books I have read so far in 2025. This book is told in the unique format of police interviews/transcripts.

Coram House draws readers into a compelling mystery that skillfully intertwines past and present, uncovering the hidden darkness of a former orphanage once run by the church. Set within the eerie remains of the now-deserted institution, Seybolt explores the inner lives of characters still haunted by their childhood experiences. The story follows Alex, who takes on the emotionally charged task of ghostwriting for a lawyer representing former residents in a lawsuit against the church. This premise becomes a powerful vehicle for unraveling the disturbing history of Coram House—a place once seen as a sanctuary, now steeped in pain and abandonment. Through unsettling depositions and testimonies, Alex uncovers a grim reality of abuse and neglect. The tension builds as the possibility of a child's death by drowning emerges, along with the mystery of a boy who may never have existed at all. This uncertainty adds depth and suspense, raising thought-provoking questions about memory, truth, and the narratives—personal or collective—that shape our understanding of the past.

I love that there were characters that you rooted for and characters that gave you the creeps. There are characters you wanted more of and some characters you couldn’t wait till they got off the page. I am going to highly recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a whodunnit.

Recent widow and former true crime bestselling author, Alex Kelley, signs a contract to ghostwrite a new book to tell the truth about Coram House. The story centers around mistreatment of children by nuns and priests in the 1960-1970s at the orphanage and the mysterious deaths or disappearances during that time. Set in snowy Vermont, Alex works her way through all of the evidence, and learns how much the town and former Coram House residents were hiding.

This was a great debut! The storyline was so chilling and I found myself guessing until the end. The twists were well done and my favorite part was how atmospheric it was.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

How far would you go to get answers?

With so many true crime programs out there in the media, do you ever think about all the time and effort and research it takes to put those together?

This is a story about a writer on her third book ready to make up for her second book that she had reservations about. She’d been through enough personally before being given the opportunity to ghostwrite a book, so was most likely hoping for a calm distraction from her crumbling personal life to take it up.

This was pretty interesting to see the making of process vs. the already created story. There are many rabbit holes to go down while researching. So many nuances and tiny details that may become monumental later for the book she’s helping to write.

For being a debut novel, I’m so curious to see what comes next from author Bailey Seybolt!

Thank you so much to the author, Bailey Seybolt, Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC of Coram House!