Thank you Atria Books / Netgalley, #partner, for the advanced e-copy of Coram House in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: April 15, 2025
Summary:
A 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.
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.
My thoughts:
I feel like a broken record saying this but the debut game has been so strong this year and I am just loving it! This was such an incredible story that immediately drew me in. Inspired by a true story, it is both haunting and chilling, oozing with atmosphere and a sense of foreboding at every step.
This slow-burn mystery kept me fully engaged as the horrors of an orphanage were explored, very much in a true-crime style. I loved how the author used a mixed media style to tell the story, bringing in the past crimes along with the present ones to get to the bottom of what is going on. I also loved how the building itself is very much a character in this story. It has its share of secrets to tell and Alex will stop at nothing to uncover them.
This book is one that I could not put down once I started it. This blend of historical fiction, mystery, twisty thrillers and true crime is sure to be a hit with many! I loved the way this author’s writing pulled me in and I for sure will be keeping an eye out for what she writes next!
Purchasing from the link below supports independent bookstores and my blog!
