“Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng” by Kylie Lee Baker is a beautifully written novel about the racism and unwarranted hatred that Asian people faced in America during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The novel is dark, unsettling, suspenseful, and haunting. I found myself entirely engrossed in the mystery and the sorrow of the story.

The novel is about a Chinese American woman named Cora Zeng who is trying to find herself after the tragic death of her sister. Cora is a crime scene cleaner and is being haunted by a hungry ghost. She is also pulled into the mystery of a serial killer who is targeting Asian women in Chinatown and whose calling card is bats.

I highly recommend “Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng” by Kylie Lee Baker! I loved the compelling story, the characters, and the dark atmosphere of the novel. I also loved learning about hungry ghosts and Chinese traditions during hungry ghost month. The novel is unique, and the story still lingers in my mind. The novel deserves 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC! "Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng" by Kylie Lee Baker comes out April 29, 2025.

Wow wow! what a Horror debut. This book is set in NYC during the COVID pandemic. It has excellent suspenseful and haunting atmosphere.

Ghosts, gore, and serial killers abound, this book has it all. But the greatest horror in this book is how people treat one another, racism and white supremacy.

This book was something different and unique in horror genre. Definitely add this on your TBR and check it out in April 2025.

Thank you so much @htp_hive for the e-ARC.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by @kylieleebaker was the first book I’ve read that was set during the C*vid pandemic, and I really appreciated Cora’s experience of living in the midst of it, with all of the very real anxiety and fear and limited information of the time, on top of her struggles with OCD and then grief following the murder of her sister in front of her. This MC is flawed, relatable, and isolated in so many ways. She straddles the religious customs of her remaining aunts in the United States, one who wants her to embrace Christianity and one who trys to convey the importance of their beliefs during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Cora must still show up to work as a crime scene cleaner while trying to find where she fits in the world - while also staying alive among ghosts, racists, a pandemic, and a serial killer. This was a one of my favorite reads of the year. It comes out on April 29th, 2025 from @htpbooks! Thank you so much @netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending this eARC for review consideration. Opinions are my own.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a brutal gut punch, combining trauma-induced hauntings, slasher horror, and a stark portrayal of racism set against the backdrop of COVID-19-ravaged NYC.

Kylie Lee Baker is a master storyteller. Her expert use of personification and vivid descriptions brings the story's terrifying scenes to life. The deftly-crafted plot, filled with twists, turns, and foreboding, will have you devouring this book.

Personally, this was one of my favorite horror reads of the past few years. An absolute must-read!

* Huge thank you to MIRA Books (HarperCollins) for the ARC! *

Thinking of the Covid pandemic with all the testing and masks and everyone panic buying toilet rolls, it feels like another lifetime ago. I sometimes wonder if it actually happened at all!

In general, I don’t really like reading books set in the pandemic as it still feels a little too fresh, but when I saw the synopsis of Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng I knew I had to pick it up. Focusing on the hate the Chinese population received from the ‘China Virus’, this novel is part horror, part crime thriller and I was hooked throughout!

The first thing I noticed when reading this book is how beautiful the prose is, it was simply a joy to read. The opening chapter set in the train station introduces you well to Cora and her sister Delilah and their complex relationship, before throwing in a shocking curveball which grabbed me instantly. This book does deal with a lot of sometimes disgusting and gory subjects (Cora is a crime scene cleaner after all), and the writing does such a good job of describing everything vividly and making you feel like you are truly there in the moment.

After the first chapter, the book leaps forward in time, focusing on Cora’s new job of a crime scene cleaner, where she starts discovering that a serial killer with a hatred towards the Asian population may be on the loose. This part of the book focuses on the friendships she has with her colleagues as they try and get someone to believe them or care about the killings. It’s truly sad in places and the hate that is pictured feels sadly believable in the context of the pandemic.

The book is also interspersed with Cora being haunted by hungry ghosts. I love a bit of horror, and this is done so well - the depiction of these apparitions is genuinely chilling and I was a little apprehensive reading with the lights off. This also brought into focus Chinese folklore as well, which I didn’t know much about but was very interested to learn.

Overall, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a fantastic book and a Kindig Gem for 2025. It’s part horror, part crime thriller - instantly gripping and so well written. Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin – Mira for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bat Eater is haunting, beautifully written, and one of the best horror books I have recently read! It’s a look at racism, grief, ghosts, and religion during the height of covid.
This book is beautiful yet chilling. It’s gut wrenching and gives you a realistic exploration within the Asian culture. I couldn't look away for one second, I devoured this book in one setting! Even when you think you know where this book is going, a new twist would happen that would completely change everything that was going on.

Wow. Wow. Wow. This was a dark, gruesome, impactful, chilling, and heartbreaking read. I just finished the book at 2am because I had to know how it ended. The story really packs a punch!

I don’t give many books 5 stars. A story has to really have an impact on me in order for it to be a 5 star, and this book definitely had an impact on me. I loved the writing and I was immersed in the story from the shocking beginning.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book going into it because the story takes place during the Covid pandemic, when everything was crazy and people were filled with paranoia and dread. During this time, there was a rise of hate crimes against East Asians. In this story, East Asian women are being tortured and murdered by an unknown killer. The main character, Cora Zeng, is a crime scene cleaner who ends up cleaning the crime scenes of some of these murders. In the beginning of the story, Cora’s sister was murdered by an unknown assailant, which left Cora with trauma, fear, and heartbreak. Cora starts to think that her sister’s murder could be tied to these other murders against East Asian women.

This story is gory. The gore is very descriptive, so just be aware in case you don’t like gore in books. The gore in this story didn’t feel like it was there for shock value and I think it added to the story.

There were some really chilling and scary scenes in this book! Cora is haunted by her sister who has turned into a hungry ghost. I’ve heard of hungry ghosts before but it was interesting to learn more about these supernatural beings.

I definitely recommend reading this book. It was a powerful read. The story shows just how despicable humans can be against one another. It shows the racism and hate against other cultures that pervades in our society. It shows how trauma can slowly eat away at you and cause you to become broken. It also shows how you can overcome trauma.

I will definitely be reading more from this author. The writing was engaging and thought-provoking. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC of this book via NetGalley for review.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I don't know where to start with this review. This is one of the best books I have ever read and is easily on my favorite of all time list. Per the usual I'm not going to go into detail about the synopsis in my review.

This is a heartbreaking story, all the way through. That's what I want you to know before you pick it up. This is a truly heartbreaking story for many different reasons but should be read and heard and felt. There is one scene (many) in particular that I will never forget or get out of my head. At the same time I was scared, horrified, intrigued, sad, and almost to tears. ALL I N ONE SCENE. That shows the depth of this book. Every word, every sentence, every character, packs a punch. The writing is crafty, humorous, dark, real, raw, gruesome, and so much more.

This is a very graphic story and not for the faint of heart. This should in no way be an intro horror. The body horror and graphic content is in everything. To balance that out, we get dark humor and a strong found family through a group of co-workers and friends. I wish I had the words to communicate how special the relationships within this book are.

That brings me to my next point, I'm not sure how to write a review for a book like this. I just really urge you to give it a try. There are a lot of potential triggers in this story and it's one that deserves to be heard just take care of yourself while you read it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

It's December 2024 right now, but I'm already claiming this as 2025's best horror release. Kylie nailed the transition from YA fantasy to adult horror.

MC Cora Zeng is a Chinese-American crime scene cleaner during the height of the pandemic. She watches her sister's brutal, racism-fueled murder and begins seeing terrifying hungry ghosts, all while facing the ugly, unique breed of racism that we all witnessed during COVID as an Asian woman in NYC. There's a hunt for a serial killer of Chinese women that reveals the depth of systemic racism in the city. I just cannot recommend this enough.

Wow.

This book is so horrifying in the most realistic way. Bat Eater follows Cora Zeng at the height of COVID. Cora feels like an outsider, not Chinese enough for one side of family and not white enough for the other. While Cora tries to placate both of her aunts, she is also dealing with the gruesome death of her sister.

Cora lives in New York and works as a crime scene cleaner. More and more bodies of young Asian women are being found with bats left at the scene of the crime. No doubt stemming from the increased racism and hate due to the “China virus”. On top of all of that, it’s hungry ghost month and Cora has one following her.

This book is so well written and horrifying with some genuinely happy moments sprinkled throughout. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of horror and is interested in learning more about Chinese folklore.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This book sunk its hooks in me from page one and I consider it one of my top reads of 2024. Bat Eater is a gruesome and grueling read, a gem of a contemporary horror novel, skillfully using tension, terror, trauma and true events to weave the story a Cora, a young woman struggling with her demons, her situation, and her heritage, during COVID in NYC.

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due is an important horror novel that uses a compelling storyline of ghosts and monstrous humans to expose the dark side of racism in the American south. Bat Eater is equally important, describing the dark time when the fear of COVID was politically weaponized against Asian Americans.

Cora was struggling with her situation before COVID. She has mental health issues, a mother who has left her for a cult, a father who moved back to China, a love/hate relationship with her half-sister, Delilah, and two aunts pulling her in different directions. The book opens with the horrific murder of Delilah, by a white man who calls her a "bat eater" and then shoves her into an oncoming train.

Bat Eater and the Other Names for Cora Zeng is a ghost story, a murder mystery, a found family novel and a social commentary. It is an incredible read.

Cora’s story was absolutely binge-worthy! This was the first book I’ve ever read set in a current event that was still fresh in my memory. Loved the authors descriptive writing style! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was fantastic. Big thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this. I couldn’t put this book down. It was a beautiful mix of social commentary, horror, the supernatural, crime, and suspense. I hope Baker continues to write and publish.

Set in 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic and the rise of anti-Asian rhetoric and hate crimes Cora experiences/witnesses a traumatizing loss that sends her already spiraling mental health off-kilter. She spends every day merely trying to maintain her life and in NYC surrounded by millions of people, but feeling utterly alone, unwanted, and unmoored. Then she started seeing things in her apartment. Having no choice but to depend on her two also-loners co-worker, Cora finds friendship and finds her personal strength. But can she find a killer?

Cora and her sister Delilah are two chinese women waiting for the subway when a white man pushes Delilah into the train and screams "bat eater." Cora is left to deal with this traumatic event while constantly experiencing racism in New York City.

There's a lot to be talked about here. This book takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic which is a year that was significant in most people's lives. We can't talk about covid without also acknowledging asian hate and the way asians were treated during the pandemic. This is an incredible horror book that deals with grief, sisterhood, racism, and finding friendships and hope through it all.

Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the e-arc.

I was so not expecting this to be as dark and graphic as it was! The horrors and the way Chinese Americans were treated during the pandemic were truly appalling and this book captures the ever-present racism so well. Seriously though, it's dark. That can't be understated.

Racism is an ever-present reality for Asians (and other marginalized groups) in America, but when the pandemic hit, the level of blame and hatred against Asian people skyrocketed. The shocking murder that happens at the beginning of this book is directly related to that racist violence.

Cora, a Chinese-American, is a germaphobe and cleans up crime scenes for a living. And lately, the crimes are all of East Asian women, like Cora, like the sister she had who was called "bat eater" right before she was murdered.

It is also time to prepare for the Hungry Ghost festival, as Cora's aunt keeps reminding her, but things like a killer on the loose and germs everywhere might take priority.

Cora is such a great main character, she's got flaws of course, but I admire her tenacity. Her two coworkers became so much more than I expected, and the fantasy and horror were so well blended.

I absolutely loved The Scarlet Alchemist duology and after reading this contemporary horror story, Kylie Lee Baker has moved to my auto-buy list.

This book is viscerally gory and deeply unsettling, capturing the racism East Asians faced during the pandemic with unflinching realism. At the same time, it’s genuinely spooky, with chilling ghostly elements like the haunting presence of Delilah and eerie moments such as the two priests speaking to Cora in the crypt.

One of the standout aspects of the story is the endearing relationship Cora forms with her crime scene cleaning workmates. Their camaraderie and support play a pivotal role in helping Cora navigate the emotional and supernatural task of settling her sister’s hungry ghost.

Cora’s character is particularly compelling. She battles her inner demons and shows significant growth in overcoming learned helplessness. Though there are moments where she doubts herself and feels like a “mess-up,” her resilience shines through. Small but powerful acts—like taking on the crime scene cleaning job, standing up to the journalist, and feeding her sister an orange from the fridge—show her reclaiming her identity and voice. These moments illustrate her courage and determination to face her fears and assert herself.

The book also offers sharp commentary on the racism and sexism that Asian women endure, particularly their fetishization and dehumanization. I appreciated that the author didn’t shy away from addressing these harsh realities, making the story resonate even more deeply.

Overall, this is an incredible horror-crime novel that leaves its mark on the genre with its unforgettable blend of gore, social commentary, and emotional depth. Highly recommended for fans of horror with substance.


Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for the ARC.

I truly liked and appreciated this story. It was and still is upsetting that this is how Chinese Americans were treated during and after the 2020 pandemic. It's scary that this is all very real. They were treated so poorly and isolated and seen as other. this story was very chilling and telling how we can turn on one another so quickly and when looking deeper this book looks into how Asian women are treated as disposable.

I will read everything Kylie Lee Baker writes, and I loved this - truly. However, this is her first adult book, and her first horror and I know some people that won't be for everyone. It is significantly more graphic than her YA titles. I think the choice to switch covers was a good one.

I tend to consume most of my horror/true crime as TV/movies so I can't say I'm well-versed in literary horror, but I enjoyed this.

For me, The Scarlet Alchemist is still my favorite, but this is probably second out of Baker's books.

Had both paranormal elements and a hunt for a serial killer which I loved. I think I really enjoyed that piece because there were moments when you were unsure if it was really happening, esp with references to Cora's past, but it didn't get annoying in a I can't believe anything narrator is telling me way. I would have loved to learn more about Cora and her time locked up, but I'm not sure it would have fit naturally into this story. Also, would have loved to know more about the mom's cult.

I really like Kylie Lee Baker, I find her stories to alway be gripping, interesting and overall well developed. I like this one a lot because I feel like it was a shift in genre which allowed for me to see her in a new light which I enjoyed greatly. Her writing transferred over to the new genre flawlessly and she continues to be a favorite of mine and an author I will continue to support.