Coram House: A beautifully written and atmospheric page turner
By (Author) Bailey Seybolt
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Raven Books
2nd September 2025
24th April 2025
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
Thriller / suspense fiction
813.6
Hardback
320
Width 158mm, Height 236mm, Spine 32mm
520g
'Twisty and compelling' Tracy Sierra
'Ill be following Bailey Seybolt the way I follow Tana French' Kate Brody
Everyone has heard the rumours. But who knows the real story of Coram House
True crime writer Alex Kelly is struggling after her last book tanked her career. Her reputation in tatters, she accepts a commission to ghost-write a book about Coram House, a former orphanage by a lake in Vermont that is now being turned into luxury condos. Could this be the fresh start she needs
Years before, it was revealed that children at the orphanage were being abused; the church settled the case, but rumours persist about one of the other allegations made, that a small boy was deliberately drowned in the lake by someone in charge. Those in charge insist there was no such murder, but when Alex makes a shocking discovery only days after her arrival she realises that what began in the past is not going to stay there...
An outstanding new atmospheric and character rich mystery debut, perfect for fans of Tana French, Erin Kelly and Gillian Flynn.
'The perfect thriller' Kate Brody
'Atmospheric and chilling' Flynn Berry
Coram House is a twisty and compelling story that deftly traces how the impacts of crime and loss can creep down through the generations and spiral outward to those you least expect -- Tracy Sierra, author of Nightwatching
Coram House is the perfect thriller the kind you race to finish and simultaneously hope will never end. It checked every box for me: relatable amateur sleuth; lush, gothic setting; mystery spanning from past to present; and no small feat a surprising, inevitable, perfectly satisfying ending. This debut marks the entrance of a thriller writer to watch. I can tell already Ill be following Bailey Seybolt the way I follow Tana French. I cant wait to see what she writes next -- Kate Brody, author of Rabbit Hole
A stunningly atmospheric, layered thriller written with a ton of heart. Bailey Seybolt combines spine-tingling suspense with a meaningful exploration of the search for truth. A powerful debut that kept me guessing until the very last page -- Clmence Michallon, internationally bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant
Atmospheric and chilling, Coram House reckons with both the long aftermath of violence and the hazards of writing true crime. It is an eerie, suspenseful mystery, sure to find readers among fans of Tana French -- Flynn Berry, New York Times bestselling author
When ghostwriter Alex Kelley arrives in frigid Burlington, Vermont to write a true crime book about a notorious orphanage, shes prepared for an investigation into its dark pastbut Coram House isnt done with its victims yet. The murder of a local with ties to the orphanage opens a chasm of dangerous secrets and lies that compels Alex to risk her safety and career in a hunt for the truth. Combining a high-stakes mystery with atmospheric prose and an indelible story, this debut is not to be missed -- Tessa Wegert
Bailey Seybolt is a Vermont-based journalist-turned-tech-writer who holds a BA in English from Brown University and an MA in Creative Writing from Concordia University. Her work has been featured in such publications as Travel + Leisure and Headlight literary anthology. CORAM HOUSE is her first novel.