Lake County Gazette

Rumors swirl around the abandoned orphanage, Coram House, perched on the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont. It is purported to be haunted by the ghosts of residents who may have been abused or killed by their caretakers. Ghost-writer Alex Kelley approaches this assignment with her own ghosts; her husband has been dead for three years, and her last crime tell-all was a disaster. Eager for a fresh start, she takes on an assignment to work with a wealthy lawyer revisiting the tragedies at Coram House. She is tasked with sifting through files and watching police interviews on old VHS tapes. One former resident plays a key role in the investigation, as illustrated by this vivid portrait:

“Sarah Dale’s hand goes to the top button of her blouse, just below her throat, and twists, as if trying to loosen the collar. Then she goes still and looks right at the camera. You can leave Coram House but you can’t leave it behind. ”

While this could have been a typical thriller, Seybolt’s debut demonstrates skills akin to more experienced authors. Characters are well-written and complex, and locations are so detailed that readers may feel compelled to grab a blanket and turn up the lights. Coram House is reminiscent of the Dublin Murder Squad books by Tana French and Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island; the orphanage and its lakefront setting almost feel like characters themselves. Towards the end, our narrator offers a moment of real insight:

…”because love is a debt paid only in loss eventually, one way or another. You cannot open the door to one without the other. But you also never know what will come next. Joy on the heels of sorrow on the heels of joy. And we don’t get to pick. ”

If your curiosity has been piqued, you may also want to check out the non-fiction story that inspired this book: Ghosts of the Orphanage: A Story of Mysterious Deaths, A Conspiracy of Silence, and A Search for Justice by Christine Kenneally.