an eerie and sharp story that explores familial grief, racism, and trauma.

this novel follows cora zeng as she deals with the murder of her sister while living through the covid-19 pandemic, and how she and her coworkers start to notice a scary pattern in the crime scenes they clean up. the writing is graphic, immersive, and profound. the author explored the real-life ramifications of racism, xenophobia, and hatred. this is definitely a horror novel; some of the scenes were very scary #tome (i don't read horror much). i also enjoyed the threads of chinese culture and folklore that were interwoven into cora's investigations.

cora is such an interesting character to me; she's very multifaceted, even if you think that her only identity is being wrapped up in her sister. i really liked the relationships developed in the novel; harvey, yifei, and cora were a really interesting dynamic with all of them being chinese and dealing with xenophobia/racism, and auntie zeng and cora, with auntie zeng's spiritual and cultural knowledge versus cora not believing in it at first.

gory, haunting, and intriguing; this book really draws you in and places you in the horror of cora's world as she fights both the hungry ghots emerging, a closed-down world in the wake of an illness spreading around the world, and the racism and xenophobia directed towards not only her, but many asian people. i would recommend this book to people who like literary or horror novels

thanks to netgalley and harlequin trade publishing for the arc!

I wanted to love this book. It had the eerie vibes I love, but the pacing was far too slow, the plot too predictable, and the emphasis on racism while important, was too much the focus of this book and honestly it killed the story for me. The fmc seems to be a very introverted person, which is fine but I feel like the side characters were more interesting and that's just not what readers want.

This is a sharp and beautifully written horror story about a haunted and fractured mind amidst the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The opening scene alone cleaves you in two and horrifies you, and you’re immediately invested in Cora’s story. I don’t think any other book has, or could, address racism, grief, anxiety, trauma, and hauntings so perfectly. This is easily one of the best books of the year.

"It’s strange how hate and love can so quietly exist at the same time. They are moon phases, one quietly growing until one day all that’s there is darkness."

I think this is the first pandemic horror book I've read / heard of, and it did not disappoint. Usually I read thriller books, but the haunting of an attached spirit (and it actually being a spirit) was so interesting.

This book definitely covered heavy topics of death and racism that any and all Asians experienced, whether they were Chinese or not. during the pandemic. This is a gory, scary, all around insane book that I was sucked into from about 75 pages in.

It would be such a good late night spooky read. I recommend. Just not during the month of August...

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an e-arc!!

This book is so hauntingly beautiful, definitely something that will stay with you for a long time!!

Cora is a Chinese-American living in New York City in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Life is scary enough as it is with the disease and unprecedented restrictions and isolation, but Cora also has to face an overwhelming anti-Asian sentiment that is present in the city. She deals with people making racist remarks as she passes by, and even sometimes physical harassment. However, this is taken to an extreme when Cora and her sister, Delilah, are at a subway station and a masked white man comes and pushes Delilah out onto the tracks in front of the train. Cora witnesses the terrible, tragic death of her sister, and the man behind the attack isn’t caught.

Since Cora’s normal job shut down due to the pandemic, she eventually gets a new job as a crime scene cleaner. While she and her coworkers turned friends are going to clean these places, they notice a frightening pattern- they’re seeing a lot of Asian women brutally killed, some left with a bat as a calling card. While they suspect they have a serial killer on their hands, Cora is also dealing with something perhaps equally as scary: she starts seeing Delilah where she goes, except it’s not her human form, but a terrifying ghost. Cora trusts that even as a ghost Delilah won’t hurt her, but she’s not sure why Delilah is coming back or what exactly she wants. Cora has been told about how people in their culture that are killed in a violent way may come back as hungry ghosts, only appeased once you’ve filled their nearly insatiable appetite. However, Cora is sure that this ghost is leading her to something- but what? As Cora and her coworkers work to try to put Delilah’s spirit to rest, they uncover more information about these recent killings- potentially putting them in danger.

This book was heartbreaking but so wonderfully written. It is graphic and gory, so readers should beware of that. However, I think it’s important and impactful that the author used such descriptions, because these terrible acts of prejudice really were inflicted on Asian women during the pandemic. This novel really brought back the fear of the pandemic, but tenfold as Cora dealt with a lot of scary things that many of us did not have to. I would recommend this read, even if it doesn’t sound like your typical book! It really is worth the read.

This may be one of my favorite reads of the year! Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this, I loved it so much even while only 20% in, that I ordered a hard copy to cherish on my shelf. This was so well written and profound. I loved all the Chinese folklore and COVID pandemic fear, but it also touches on the real life horrors of xenophobia and hate crimes. I also couldn't help but think this would make an EXCELLENT anime!! Every character was so well written, I loved following their crime scene clean ups, as well as them trying to unravel the mystery of Delilah's murder (the FMC's sister) as well as a rash of other Asian deaths. And the answer is so much worse than imagined. Loved learning about hu fry ghosts and jiangshi. I just can't say enough. And even her afterword was so poignant and powerful.

Give this book ALL the stars! Excellent in every way and one of my all time favorites. The character development is excellent and I loved the interwoven threads of Chinese folklore and a serial killer investigation. Kylie Lee Baker uses her voice to speak eloquently about racism and it’s impacts on society as a whole. The setting of New York during the COVID pandemic was powerful to address Asian hate and how this type of othering has deeply harmed all of us. There were some scenes that gave me literal shivers too which I always enjoy. Just an excellent, thought provoking book from beginning to end.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

A big thank you to Harlequin trade publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review 💚

Wow. was this book something I did not expect.
I went in blind, only knowing that I'd been seing a lot of positive reviews on this one and since horror is usually a 50-50 genre on the opinion scale, I was veeery intrigued.

From page 1 until the end, I was completely transfixed. Whatever the storyline was, or what was happening I was completely glued to the story. The kind of book where you open a page, you blink and you've read 10% of it.
I haven't met many of those in 2025.

I'm giving this a strong 4 ⭐, and keeping the review vague so you simply pick it up and see for yourself 💚 💚

BAT EATER AND OTHER NAMES FOR CORA ZENG is a layered, haunting exploration of grief and collective trauma. It’s the beginning of the pandemic in New York City, and Cora’s sister Delilah is killed, pushed in front of an oncoming subway. As he flees, the murderer yells, “Bat eater!” But Delilah is not the only Chinese woman murdered. As a crime scene cleaner, Cora knows this in graphic detail.

What follows is an intricately woven story built equally on folklore and the events of 2020. Kylie Lee Baker skillfully conveys the eerie stillness of 2020 and the writing is captivating. It’s a horror story so deeply rooted in reality that I could feel it in my chest as I read it, and I still feel it now. Yes, there are hungry ghosts in this book - but sometimes, the monsters among us are the living, breathing kind. Brilliant and moving. I cannot recommend enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you so much to the Author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

I would love to start off by saying that this does take place during Covid 2020. I would highly suggest to please come into this book with caution if you are still haunted by that horrible time.

This book was really intriguing and a little in my head since well it’s something we all went through. But this author takes a twist with a cleaner (for murder scenes) and her sister. This book also takes bits and pieces of Chinese folklore into the theme of the book which I would like to say horror? But for me it was more thriller. Not sure I can explain this well.

Over all this book is a 4 star for me 🫶🏼

Brilliantly brings the horror of the pandemic to life as seen through Cora who is germaphobe. Not only does Cora have to fear germs but also a serial killer who hates Chinese and hungry ghosts who have started haunting her after the death of her sister. There were so many things to be frightened of during the pandemic and it’s all in this book. Fantastic. I also listened to parts and the audiobook was very good.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

I loved this book. This book moved me so deeply and really took me through the gauntlet of emotions. I haven’t loved a lot of books set during the pandemic because it felt too soon to read about such a scary time, but this book perfectly nailed the feelings of the scariness of the virus and knowing so little about it. On top of that, the author perfectly demonstrated the rise of Asian hate in the wake of the virus first becoming public knowledge as China was identified as the origin of the virus and so racists decided that all Asians were responsible for that.

This book has some of the most horrific imagery I’ve ever read, and it doesn’t hold back from the beginning as the first chapter is one of the most horrifying that I have ever read. Cora is such an interesting main character as she is an Asian woman who is already a germaphobe and is trying to cope with the scariness of Covid as well as the horrific murder of her sister which happened right in front of her. And she cleans up crime scenes which is how she finds out there is a serial killer targeting young Asian women. Being in her mindset really amplified the tension of the novel and had me guessing until the very end of the novel.

There was also a great supporting cast of characters especially in Cora’s co-workers, Harvey and Yifei. I loved watching the three of them investigate the slew of killings as well as develop a real friendship. Their hangs also offered some much needed comic relief amidst this very dark and depressing story. The author also beautifully interweaves Chinese folklore and cultural beliefs with the human horrors in such a grotesque way while also offering up social commentary about systemic racism, fear, and the fetishization of Asian women. I have a feeling this book is definitely going to be in my top of the year reads!

As soon as I saw this described as horror, it immediately went on my tbr, but Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is so much more than just a horror story. Yes, it is gory. Yes, there is terror, and yes, there are heinous events happening. But there's also family and introspection, community and the need for belonging.

Kylie Lee Baker has created a tale that's both scary and sad. We're terrified by the hungry ghosts and horrified by the very real monsters.

Read this if you like:
• Folk horror
• Gory books
• Stories set in NYC
• East Asian stories
• Serial killer books
• Stories with depth

Gory. Terrifying. Haunting. This is a book that will suck you in from the first chapter, and leave you gasping for air by the end. Even when I thought I knew where this book was going, a new twist would happen that would completely change everything that I thought was going on. I loved the realism of it being post COVID era as well. Just read it, unless you don't like gore. but otherwise, everything about this is a 10/10

3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Narrator: Natalie Natalie Naudus

Thank you so much Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this ALC! Breathtaking performance from Queen of audio Natalie as always! I have read other books by Kylie but this was the first horror book by her that I have read. The storyline was really interesting. Our main character is a crime scene cleaner, who witnesses the death of her sister as she is hit by a train. Also, the man who pushed her sister in front of the train whispered “bat eater” after, and now bodies of other women are turning up with dead bats around them? Super creepy. The ghosts, and demons and murder mystery was really intriguing. I enjoyed all of the characters and our main character was really unique and interesting. I didn’t love the covid references. That sort of took me out of the story, and I also didn’t feel super connected to the characters on a deeper level? I felt very surface level the entire time and I like to feel more emotionally attached to the story and the characters? I’m not sure if that makes sense. Overall I think this will be a top read for many and definitely add it to your TBR!

LOVE LOVE LOVEDDDD this book!! Can not recommend it enough. You won’t regret picking this book up! I am terrible at writing reviews but I sure know a good book when I read one lol

I usually avoid books that are too covid focused but I loved Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng! Seeing as it's the author's first adult novel, it did feel a bit YA in the beginning (I'm old and cranky and 24 year olds may as well be teens) but the full on, adult horror really ramped up in the last third.
This had the right combo of gore, cultural practices (Auntie Zeng is the best!), humor, found family, female rage, the unease felt during early 2020, and was super acab. I love stories with bi/multiracial characters figuring out where they fit into the world. Cora's identity struggles were relatable, even if I don't share those identities myself.
Covid was scary but the real horror here was white supremacy. While the ending was kinda hopeful, it felt realistic and didn't wrap up too easily.
I loved the author's note too. She gets it. I appreciated that she is not comfortable profiting from telling stories that aren't hers to tell. I'll definitely read more from her in the future.
Check CWs because there is a lot of heavy shit!

I really loved this supernatural horror. Cora was a likeable lead and the story was a little quirky to compensate for the heavy plot content. I liked Cora’s quirks and her job as a crime scene clean up person in NYC during the pandemic. Cora’s search for her sister’s killer turns into a dark horror comedy with some gore. I thought it was a very entertaining story.

Cora Zheng is a crime scene cleaner. The gore is awful but Cora’s not a stranger to violence: early in the pandemic, her sister was pushed in front of a train by a stranger yelling “bat eater.”But Cora slowly begins to notice some striking commonalities in the crime scenes she’s tasked with cleaning.

An intense, unconventional, and powerful book about loneliness, grief, family, and anti-Asian hate of the pandemic. I haven’t read many books that use the pandemic as a backdrop, and Cora’s preoccupation with cleanliness really took me back. I was similarly moved by her cruel internal voice that mercilessly compared Cora to her sister.

Unexpectedly, the book is also darkly funny. The developing relationship between Cora and her cleaner colleagues was perhaps my favorite part of the book, and I would have loved more time with Yifei and Harvey.

What an intense book to read as someone who has lived through the COVID-19 pandemic. The author does a fantastic job of transporting you right back to where you were and how you felt in the early months of the pandemic. Do we need to wash the groceries? Are we wrong for going out for drinks, even if they are outside? All of these anxieties that I have not fully processed came right back to me, particularly through the main character's obsessive thoughts about cleanliness. That part alone made me really sit and think about how I have changed since March 2020. The horror of this book, however, does not come from living through a pandemic, but the horrible hate that grew through it. Cora, the titular character, experiences (truly not the right word but I do not want to spoil it for others) an anti-Asian hate crime that shakes her to her core and upends her life. She begins to unravel... or does she? Honestly I can't give you more than that without giving anything away. But this book sucked me in and kept me there right til the end. This book is gross -- even grosser than her book where a main character does bloodworking -- but it is intentional and necessary. I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend.