This book gave very much Ms. Flynn. In that the mystery element was gripping and kept you pulled in until the end of the book. I legit, with that I could craft a book as amazing as this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Coram House follows Alex Kelley, a true crime author who moved to Burlington Vermont to start a new book. Alex is looking for a fresh start and she is hoping that the story of Coram House will provide that. Coram House operated as an orphanage until cases of abuse were revealed. There’s conflicting stories, and Alex is determined to find the truth. I enjoyed the story. I found it a little difficult to stay invested, and I guessed the ending. It’s a good story for those enjoy true crime.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s an atmospheric mystery taken place during winter. The fact that this is based on a true story just made it sink deeper into me. The writing is told in one pov in present time from the fmc and then you get interviews from the past. I never saw the twist coming but loved how the story kept me guessing with every piece of new evidence.

This comes out in April but would be good to read during a snow storm. I think this will be a great read for anyone who loves a good mystery!

This book was really good. Gave me sharp objects vibes. Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. It was thrilling and suspenseful. I really enjoyed it.

Dripping with atmosphere and tension, Coram House is a fascinating thriller complete with flashbacks. But the chill factor creeps in from its basis on true stories which gave me goosebumps. I really appreciated getting lost in a dark yet illuminating world.

In 1968, Coram House, an orphanage in Vermont, is the scene of a disappearance of a young boy, Tommy. Differing opinions and suspicions swirl about what happened. The orphanage was a scary place to be for the children who were tormented and disciplined in horrifying ways. Decades later, in the present, Alex accepts a ghostwriting job about the orphanage and discovers a woman's dead body in the lake. Upon further investigation, Alex uncovers grimy layer after grimy layer of how the woman's death was connected to the past. And the secrets didn't end there.

The compelling story itself, the intriguing characters, tension and gorgeous writing captivated me. But the clever interview chapters really clinched it for me. I love how this novel is unsettling but not scary. It is an experience to be mulled over. Do be aware child abuse by nuns is a theme and other abuses are referenced, too. Abuse of any kind is dark but it is handled well here, including how (in)actions of others hang over the heads of subsequent generations.

The ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a slow-burn thriller that absolutely hooked me from the start. The atmospheric setting—an eerie orphanage on a lake and the dark secrets it hides—creates the perfect backdrop for this mystery. It's the kind of book that slowly pulls you in, and by the end, you’ll find it hard to put down.
Set in a small, remote Vermont town decades after a scandal involving the Catholic Church’s orphanages (based on a true story), the story centers around a boy named Tommy, who mysteriously disappears from Coram House, an orphanage with a troubled past. Years later, Alex, a true crime writer, is hired to uncover the dark history behind the orphanage and write a book about its disturbing past. As Alex digs into the story, the tension builds, and secrets long buried begin to surface. The book expertly captures the tension between Alex and the locals. The hostility she faces from the community only deepens the mystery, showing how tightly the town is still bound to the dark history of Coram House. What really stands out in this book are the interviews with the grown children who lived at Coram House, which are scattered throughout the narrative. These snippets of personal history add depth to, giving us a glimpse into the trauma and pain that the characters still carry with them. The pacing is not fast, but the story's slow unraveling is part of what makes it so captivating. It’s a mystery that relies more on atmosphere and careful detail than on rapid plot twists.
If you enjoy atmospheric thrillers that rely on tension and detail rather than fast-paced action, The Coram House will be right up your alley. A solid 4 stars.

"You can leave Coram House but you can't leave it behind."
I just finished reading my advanced reader's copy 0f this work of fiction based on an orphanage in Vermont. I want to thank the author and the publisher, Atria Books for my e-copy through NetGalley. This is my own opinion about the story. It's not a tale about a house or its purpose. It's a story about the people who lived or survived there. Some suffered much longer than the time they spent there on the property.
Alex Kelley leaves NYC and temporarily moves to Vermont per an agreement with lawyer Alan Stedsam. She is to ghostwrite a book about his legacy using documents and information he provides that deals with a case he worked on, orphans against the Catholic church. As she digs into boxes of files and reads depositions, she becomes immersed in the possibility that a 5-year-old boy was murdered under the care of a nun, Sister Cecile.
There are some strong characters here. Alex, a writer, with a painful past that has seemingly dulled her spirit. A widow, she can be driven beyond what she should do and barrel her way into making assumptions, even mistakes. When murders darken her world, things get even more suspenseful. She's an okay character with problems for sure. Drinking in excess is a bit much for instance. Alan Stedsam is strange, as to me he seems to dump the project on her and it felt odd. He's not really hands-on.
The interesting depositions introduce readers to important characters from the past. The reason for a court case. Orphans, neglected and abused by the adults who were supposed to protect them. A nun and priest in particular. Alex involves herself with some of the area citizens including a couple of the orphans, law enforcement officers Parker and Garcia to name a few.
It's certainly a suspense. I did not figure out what was really going on so that's a plus for me with a novel. I give it a 4. I didn't want to put it down once I began reading.
Triggers: abuse, grief, murder.
Foul language and drinking.

This twisty, emotionally driven, eerie mystery will have you losing sleep trying to finish it all at once!

When Alex Kelly accepts a true crime ghostwriting job about Coram House, an orphanage in Burlington, VT, she mostly wants to switch things up with her life. But while investigating the orphanage, a woman is found dead in the town's lake, and Alex suspects her death may be related to Coram House's horrific past. With more deaths happening, Alex is even more motivated to find the answers, hoping her career will skyrocket. But if she doesn't figure it out soon enough, she may never leave the town alive.

This atmospheric mystery had me flipping the pages as fast as I could! Fans of true crime and cold cases will love this one!

*will post review on instagram closer to pub date*

CORAM HOUSE by Bailey Seybolt ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Thank you atria and NetGalley for the advanced copy! This thriller absolutely did it for me. I will warn you, it is more of a slow burn thriller, the pace is not super fast, but it’s a story that will suck you in. A creepy orphanage on a lake and the secrets buried with it? Yes, please. Just the atmosphere of this book is enough to hook you from the start. I loved the interviews of the grown children who lived at the orphanage scattered through the story. By the end, I couldn’t put it down!

A boy named Tommy mysteriously disappears from an Orphanage called Coram House, and he is never found. Years later, Alex, a true crime writer, is hired to write a book about the horrible things that happened at the orphanage. As she starts digging, the truth starts unraveling.

Pub. Date: 4/15/25

Perfect if you like:
•Slow burn thriller.
•True crime.
•Inspired by real life stories at an orphanage in Vermont.
•Haunting & atmospheric.
•Interviews throughout.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️ (just kisses)
Mood: 🍿🫗

⚠️: explicit language.

Bailey Seybolt delivers a gripping blend of true crime and psychological thriller in Coram House, a novel inspired by real events. The story follows Alex Kelley, a true crime writer determined to uncover the dark history of the orphans who endured unimaginable horrors at Coram House. But as she digs deeper into the past, the present takes a sinister turn—bodies begin to surface, and the line between investigator and target blurs.

Seybolt’s storytelling is immersive, weaving a chilling and atmospheric narrative that kept me hooked from the first page. Her vivid descriptions bring the eerie setting to life, making every revelation feel all the more haunting. Coram House is a must-read for fans of true crime and suspenseful thrillers. I can’t wait to see what Seybolt writes next.

Rounded up from 2.5 ⭐️ I wouldn’t say i disliked this book but it certainly was not my favorite. The plot was entertaining, but i felt like i was constantly just looking for the end. For me the characters didn’t feel super well developed or maybe i just felt them too unreliable to be hooked. I feel like the twist was partially predictable but good!

Absolutely devoured this atmospheric thriller! The book takes place in a remote Vermont town, decades after a scandalous orphanage within the Catholic Church was exposed for abuse and potential fatalities. Alex, a struggling writer, is asked to ghostwrite a book recalling the history within this orphanage. Once she arrives, she is shocked by how much hostility she experiences from the small town, but soon realizes that many people still have ties to the horrible history behind the orphanage.

I loved this slow burn thriller with the moody setting in rural wintery Vermont. The character development was superb, and I found myself truly resonating with main character. The storytelling was unique, with flashbacks to a time when the orphanage was up and running coupled with court documents makes for a spectacular book!

thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

* posted on Goodreads, will post review on instagram closer to pub date

Coram House was a great read. The cover certainly drew me in!

The main character is a writer who is contracted to ghost write a book about an orphanage with a sordid past. There are rumors of a young boy who went missing in the lake and alleged abuse of the children at the hands of the nuns who raised them. During the writer's investigation, several bodies appear - potential murders? Possibly related to Coram House and its' past? I don't want to give away any endings, so I'll leave it at that.

There is plenty of mystery and intrigue to capture the reader's attention until the very last page.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and its nod to the true story of St. Joseph’s orphanage.
I enjoyed our main character, and a few side characters definitely had me fooled.
This book is a slow burn so be prepared to really settle into the story.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bailey Seybolt, and Atria books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

My jaw dropped at the big twist in this one, book peeps!! Did not see that coming!! 🙌

This was a dark crime thriller that was based on the true history of St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Burlington, Vermont and sheds light on the abuse that occurred in these institutions. This was excellent for a debut and I definitely recommend checking it out! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Bailey Seybolt for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

TW: child abuse

The fact that this is inspired by a true story is both creepy and extremely sad. Nine year old Tommy vanishes one summer day. Some think he was drowned, some were told he ran away. It's also possible he never existed. Writer Alex Kelley is asked to ghostwrite a book about the orphanage where Tommy supposedly went missing from. As she begins to uncover more facts, she comes across a woman's dead body. As the body count rises, Alex races the clock to clear her name and uncover the truth behind it all.

The story is a slow burn, but I really enjoyed it. I felt like a detective piecing together all of the puzzle pieces that we are given. There are transcript interviews sprinkled throughout between chapters which adds an interesting element. Warning: these transcripts describe child abuse and so if that is a trigger it is probably best to avoid this book. Otherwise, it's a very enjoyable read that I can highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Alex is an author who has been hired to come to Vermont and help ghost-write a story for a lawyer. Coram House was a church-run orphanage and has a storied past. As she meets people and starts to peel back the layers of the onion, there's murder, suspicion, and an overall general storyline that has a big twist at the end!
I enjoyed this book. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Coram House is a chilling, atmospheric thriller that seamlessly blends true crime with fiction, drawing inspiration from real-life horrors at St. Joseph’s Orphanage. The novel’s premise is gripping—a decades-old mystery of a missing child, a crumbling orphanage with a dark past, and a determined crime writer seeking the truth. The plot is undoubtedly the book’s strongest element, weaving together past and present in a way that keeps the reader engaged. While the plot twist was somewhat predictable, it was still satisfying, adding a layer of intrigue that kept the story moving.

However, where the book falters is in its characters. They felt frustrating, unlikable, or difficult to connect with, which made it challenging to become fully immersed in their struggles. Despite this, the writing style was solid, if a bit slow at times. The pacing occasionally dragged, but the suspense and eerie atmosphere compensated for the lulls in action.

Readers should be aware that the novel contains heavy themes, including child abuse and references to sexual assault against children. These aspects are handled with the weight they deserve, but they make for an emotionally difficult read.

Overall, Coram House is a compelling, if imperfect, thriller that will appeal to fans of slow-burn mysteries and investigative fiction. If you enjoy crime novels that are as much about uncovering the past as they are about solving a murder, this one is worth picking up—just be prepared for some unsettling moments along the way.

A thriller with a bit of historical fiction.

Coram House is inspired by real-life tragedies that occurred at an orphanage in Vermont. The story follows an author, Alex, who is asked to ghostwrite a book about the orphanage. Her investigation hits a nerve with many of the locals who would rather keep the past buried.

This is a slow-burn and atmospheric thriller that I really enjoyed. I love a jaw-dropping ending that I don’t see coming and Coram House definitely delivered.

Thank you Net Galley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was so well done! I loved all the research that is so believable, the characters, the mystery...all of it!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.