***** - Coram House

CORAM HOUSE

BAILEY SEYBOLT

*****

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...

MY REVIEW

*****

When disgraced true crime author Alex is commissioned to ghost-write a story about the abuse that happened in the religious orphanage of Coram House, she sees it as a chance to redeem herself. She soon discovers that a lot of the people involved in the scandal seem intent on making sure the past stays buried…

Coram House is an atmospheric thriller and the setting of the old orphanage with its creepy attic and statues really drew me in. I was perhaps expecting more scenes to take place in the house itself, but this is very much a crime thriller rather than a horror, with Alex interviewing people and dealing with new developments. The book starts with transcripts of interviews from people who lived there describing an incident they witnessed on the lake – this really hooked me in from the outset. It is quite a slow-burn thriller though, and there are some points in the book where particular phrasing of mundane activities (taking a shower, for example) is repeated – I think it would benefit from a tighter edit before publication.

Alex is a complex character and makes some odd decisions in places, but I enjoyed her backstory – making a previous mistake trying to help with a case, which strengthened her motivations. The case has plenty of red herrings and a nice twist at the end which I didn’t see coming. At the end of the day Coram House is about child abuse and set in a religious orphanage, so it’s a dark read and some of the topics may be triggering for readers.

Overall, Coram House is a beautifully written and atmospheric crime thriller. Thank you to NetGalley & Bloomsbury Publishing – Raven Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

LINKS TO BUY

Amazon UK

Waterstones