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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. I was not paid to read and review this book, any thoughts or opinions expressed are my own.
3.75 ⭐️
Coram House follows writer Alex Kelley as she relocates to a new city to research and write a book about the mysterious Coram House. While digging into old depositions from a case that surfaced in the late ’80s, she discovers mention of a little boy known only as Tommy—and becomes determined to uncover what happened to him. The story includes several twists and red herrings, and I have to say, the final reveal genuinely surprised me, which I always appreciate.
3.75 ⭐️
Coram House follows writer Alex Kelley as she relocates to a new city to research and write a book about the mysterious Coram House. While digging into old depositions from a case that surfaced in the late ’80s, she discovers mention of a little boy known only as Tommy—and becomes determined to uncover what happened to him. The story includes several twists and red herrings, and I have to say, the final reveal genuinely surprised me, which I always appreciate.
Seybolt does a great job building an eerie, unsettling atmosphere—I definitely felt the tension as I read. That said, I had a few issues. I found myself frustrated by Alex’s repeated poor decisions; she somehow escapes danger despite making choices that seem to defy logic. I also felt the pacing was too slow in the beginning. I can appreciate a slow burn, but this one took a while to really find its momentum—it didn’t pick up until around the halfway point.
All in all, I did enjoy the book, especially for its suspense and the twist ending. But the slow start and occasionally maddening protagonist did detract from the overall experience.
Oooooffff... 🐌 🪱 listen, I get that's FINALLY spring for us in the northern part of the US, but this was moving as slow as the snails and worms deciding to cross the fucking hot road and getting burnt to a crisp, but the thing with this is, in fact, that there was NO burn in this book ANYWHERE.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this eCopy to review
I recently finished Coram House, and it was an eerie, atmospheric read that kept me hooked from start to finish. Seybolt blends true crime and fiction in a way that feels both unsettling and immersive, making this novel a gripping experience.
The story revolves around Alex Kelley, a struggling true crime writer who moves to Burlington, Vermont, to ghost write a book about Coram House, a now-abandoned orphanage with a dark past. Decades earlier, in 1968, nine-year-old Tommy vanished without a trace from the orphanage. Rumours swirled: some claimed a nun drowned him, others believed he ran away, and some even questioned whether he ever existed at all.
Fifty years later, Tommy’s disappearance remains unsolved. As Alex digs into the orphanage’s history, she uncovers disturbing accounts of abuse and secrecy. But things take a chilling turn when she discovers a woman’s body in the lake near Coram House. Convinced that the death is connected to the orphanage’s past, Alex pushes forward with her investigation, despite scepticism from local police officer Russell Parker. As more bodies turn up, Alex realizes that the key to solving the present-day murders lies in unravelling Tommy’s fate, before she becomes the next victim.
What I loved most about Coram House was its haunting atmosphere. Seybolt’s writing is incredibly immersive, making the orphanage feel like a character in itself, its decaying walls and buried secrets adding to the tension. The mystery unfolds in layers, keeping me engaged as Alex pieces together the truth. The novel also explores the ethics of true crime writing, questioning the impact of digging into past tragedies.
Overall, Coram House is a chilling and well-crafted mystery that blends real-life horrors with fiction. If you enjoy atmospheric thrillers with slow-burning tension, this one is worth picking up. A compelling and unsettling story.
I recently finished Coram House, and it was an eerie, atmospheric read that kept me hooked from start to finish. Seybolt blends true crime and fiction in a way that feels both unsettling and immersive, making this novel a gripping experience.
The story revolves around Alex Kelley, a struggling true crime writer who moves to Burlington, Vermont, to ghost write a book about Coram House, a now-abandoned orphanage with a dark past. Decades earlier, in 1968, nine-year-old Tommy vanished without a trace from the orphanage. Rumours swirled: some claimed a nun drowned him, others believed he ran away, and some even questioned whether he ever existed at all.
Fifty years later, Tommy’s disappearance remains unsolved. As Alex digs into the orphanage’s history, she uncovers disturbing accounts of abuse and secrecy. But things take a chilling turn when she discovers a woman’s body in the lake near Coram House. Convinced that the death is connected to the orphanage’s past, Alex pushes forward with her investigation, despite scepticism from local police officer Russell Parker. As more bodies turn up, Alex realizes that the key to solving the present-day murders lies in unravelling Tommy’s fate, before she becomes the next victim.
What I loved most about Coram House was its haunting atmosphere. Seybolt’s writing is incredibly immersive, making the orphanage feel like a character in itself, its decaying walls and buried secrets adding to the tension. The mystery unfolds in layers, keeping me engaged as Alex pieces together the truth. The novel also explores the ethics of true crime writing, questioning the impact of digging into past tragedies.
Overall, Coram House is a chilling and well-crafted mystery that blends real-life horrors with fiction. If you enjoy atmospheric thrillers with slow-burning tension, this one is worth picking up. A compelling and unsettling story.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Novels inspired by true events? I’m all in. Real-life stories fascinate me, but sometimes the presentation falls flat. Not here! "Coram House" is mysterious and eerie.
Set against the backdrop of a Vermont orphanage with a chilling history of abuse, this book follows Alex, a struggling true crime writer trying to revive her career. She takes on a ghostwriting project about Coram House but becomes obsessed with the mystery of a missing boy who seems to have vanished from everyone’s memory. Did he even exist? Is she chasing shadows? I loved how determined she was—digging deeper than the job required.
And when Alex discovers a dead body (yep 😳), she’s convinced it’s connected. The police? Not so much. They think she’s trying to revive her dying career. And the subplot behind her dying career adds a whole extra layer of tension.
What really hit me hard is that this story—heartbreaking and haunting—is rooted in reality. Children were abused by the very people meant to protect them. That truth made the story disturbing and emotional.
Thanks to the author and Atria Books for providing this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#CoramHouse #BookReview #BaileySeybolt #Atria #NetGalley #TrueCrimeFiction #BookLovers #PsychologicalThriller #Bookstagram #BasedOnTrueEvents
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DNF at 56%
Thank you @Atriabooks #AtriaPartner for an #ARC in return for an honest review!
Unfortunately, this was not it for me. It was so slow and it did not hold my attention. I feel like it was the same repetitive story for 45% and the writing was not my favorite either.
Thank you @Atriabooks #AtriaPartner for an #ARC in return for an honest review!
Unfortunately, this was not it for me. It was so slow and it did not hold my attention. I feel like it was the same repetitive story for 45% and the writing was not my favorite either.
mysterious
slow-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Cold case mysteries are always a must read and I enjoyed this look into a disgraced orphanage. This was interesting since it was based on a real orphanage (St. Joseph’s) and I found myself wondering how much was directly pulled and what was fictionalized. Alex had a lot of gumption and probably stuck her nose in places it didn’t belong but I would be nosy and want to know the truth too. Overall, a good mystery that is easy to read.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Forced institutionalization