coram house by
bailey seybolt
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.
“Coram House is 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”
— Clémence Michallon, internationally bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant
Can Alex unravel coram house’s dark secrets before it’s too late?
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.
“Combining a high-stakes mystery with atmospheric prose and an indelible story, this debut is not to be missed."
— Tessa Wegert, author of The Coldest Case
“an eerie, suspenseful mystery, sure to find readers among fans of Tana French.”
— Flynn Berry, New York Times bestselling author of Northern Spy
“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
Coming April 2025
Coming April 2025
Upcoming events
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Burlington, VT
Join me to celebrate the launch of Coram House! In conversation with Miciah Bay Gault.
April 17 @ Venetian Soda Lounge
266 Pine Street
7-9 pmHosted by Phoenix Books
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NYC
April 24, 6-7 pm @ The Mysterious Bookshop
Details to come! -
Norwich, VT
May 17 @ The Norwich Bookstore
Details to come!
About the author
Bailey Seybolt grew up in New York City. She studied literature at Brown University and creative writing at Concordia University. She’s worked as a travel writer in Hanoi, a tech writer in San Francisco, and many writerly jobs in between. She now lives with her family in Vermont, not far from Lake Champlain. Coram House is her debut novel.
Say hi to her on social media.
Get in touch
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Alexandra Machinist, CAA
alexandra.machinist@caa.com -
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baileyseyboltauthor@gmail.com