Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker is a haunting, brilliant horror novel that was also incredibly beautiful. It isn’t just a horror story—it’s a deeply moving exploration of trauma, grief, and the horrific violence faced by East Asians, all set against the backdrop of NYC at the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Cora Zeng is an incredibly complex character. Her trauma, the sudden and violent murder of her sister Delilah while she was standing next to her, is like a ghost hanging over every scene. But what sets Cora apart from many with similar trauma is her ability to function in the midst of these horrors, pushing aside her emotions and focusing on the macabre task of cleaning up crime scenes. The way Cora navigates through this trauma while doing what has to be done could be a book in itself, but Baker weaves in an unnerving supernatural layer, as well as some truly creepy cultural folklore. As Cora and her clean-up crew begin noticing the drastic increase in crime scenes involving violently murdered Asian women, Cora starts to get the inkling that something is very wrong in her own life. Things are going missing from her apartment and she can never quite get rid of the feeling of being watched...

The atmosphere that Baker has created in this book is suffocating and completely enthralling. Her writing is sharp, darkly humorous, and incredibly beautiful. She also highlights an important issue: the trauma East Asians experienced during the pandemic (and always). The way Cora struggles with the concept of reality, especially as the supernatural begins to bleed into her already fractured world, is both heartbreaking and terrifying.

The narrator was phenomenal as well. She was perfect throughout this thought-provoking and unsettling book. Kylie Lee Baker is an author to watch, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

My god.
If you can handle Covid pandemic books.
This one.
Absolutely incredibly written.
Horrifying, gorey, nauseating an absolute must.

This was such a great blend of paranormal to actual horrific events of the pandemic that made for such an interesting book.

Narration by Natalie Naudus so obviously incredible.

Thanks to netgalley and harlequin for an eARC and alc

Wow! This was an amazing horrifyingly suspenseful book. I don’t think that I’ll ever forget this one. This is the first book I’ve read of this author and I will continue to read anything they put out! JUST WOW.

Also it is a bit more gory than I thought so keep that in mind!

Cora Zeng’s sister, Delilah, suffers a horrific death after being pushed in front of an oncoming NYC train. The murderer says “Bat Eater,” before disappearing.

Nothing could be worse than witnessing that. So, it would seem. For Cora, it is certainly not cleaning up the bloody scattered human remains of grotesque murders in Chinatown. Rather, what frightens Cora more is: the germs and viruses lurking everywhere and unexplained bite marks on her coffee table.

Cora ignores her aunt’s advice to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of Hell open and hungry ghosts are let loose. That the recent clean ups are bodies of East Asian women and that hungry ghosts who will not be ignored haunt her. Since Delilah died, Cora isn’t really sure what is real and what is in her head.


This horror novel is a perfect response to Asians’ ongoing experiences of racism that got exponentially worse with COVID. It is one of my top five favorite horror reads.

I was lucky enough to get both the E ARC and the audio. I absolutely loved the digital copy but the audio book add an entire layer of perfection, the combination of writing and audio production come together in the most fantastic way. I will be recommending both to the ends of time.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and it lived up to all the hype and more. Haunting in all the best ways.

Natalie Naudus is my all time favorite narrator and continues to be after this performance.

This book is not for the faint of heart. The protagonist's circumstances alone are enough to be a horror story; Cora is a crime scene cleaner with OCD (presumably) who is living in New York City in the height of the Covid pandemic. It kicks off with a decapitation in the first chapter and doesn't let up -- Baker weaves disgusting imagery throughout the story, from one character recounting a memory of silverfish crawling inside their ear to the evocative crime scene descriptions, including someone's skull "popping open like a can of biscuits." Alongside the blood and gore, however, is a sweet (in a way) story about learning to live with, and love, the ghosts that haunt us and that we carry with us forever. The author's note at the end is an emotional reminder of how it felt to live through 2020, and worth the read.

Horror fans are sure to enjoy this one. I challenge anyone to read the whole book without coming across at least one scene that totally creeps them out (disembowelment! bats! ghosts! cannibalism! viruses! body fluids!). I also appreciated the social commentary that the book provided, as Cora saw her 'Asianness' suddenly become her most salient feature and identity in the public eye at that time, and the basis of the hate crimes that are a major plot point throughout the book. Actually, the best part of the book is the nuance of the relationships Cora has with her sister, Delilah, and her aunts; the humanity of these characters in their scenes together serve as a nice palate cleanser from the brutality of the others.

Immediately after reading, I thought I would give this book 4 stars, but after letting it simmer for awhile, I think it's a 5. The descriptiveness of the writing, the relevance of the setting, and the imaginativeness of the "characters" that Cora befriends -- and, of course, the cover is beautiful. After reading, I was interested to see what else Baker had written, and was surprised to see that she seems to be a fantasy author who has just broken into the horror genre with this one. I hope she stays. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for making this ARC available to me.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio for the gifted audiobook!

Cora Zeng witnesses the tragedy of her sister, Delilah, being pushed in front of a subway train. The murderer flees the scene shouting "bat eater," and Cora is left reeling from both her sister's death and the other brutal murder scenes she cleans up as a crime scene cleaner in Chinatown, unsure of what's real and what's in her mind as hungry ghosts follow her.

Kylie Lee Baker does it again! While I've always appreciated the elements of horror included in her fantasy novels, BAT EATER is a reversal of her past reads, with horror being at the forefront and fantasy / the paranormal used as support. I am blown away by the way Kylie makes such impactful statements about the treatment of East Asians during the Covid-19 pandemic and the treatment of Asian women by (mostly white) men in general. It takes so much talent to make the trauma, brutality of killings, mystery or who did it, the pandemic, family dynamics, friendships, and hungry ghosts all come together cohesively under the paranormal horror umbrella. It's a work of genius. Narrated by Natalie Naudus, you absolutely cannot go wrong with the audiobook and will also probably devour it in a day like I did.

After the blurb, I think I was expecting a dark gory funny horror, and it wasn’t quite that. It’s more of a dark, looming, haunting thriller. Yes there are supernatural elements but the scaring comes more from the society that we (used to?) still live in. I loved how the history and explanation of Chinese customs
were shared between Cora, her aunt and her friends, and in the same vein the her cult mom could have done with some more explanation. I found that the supporting characters had such crazy trauma that was mentioned but not explained as throughly as other details.
The novel does an excellent job of conveying Cora’s fear and anxiety during Covid as a Chinese woman living in a major American city. However, I still think it’s a bit too early for me to have fiction books set during the COVID Pandemic. Maybe that was the reason for the author to have this unsettled time with a deeply troubled unsettled Asian woman to heighten the anxiety, but the real life setting still feels too fresh for me to have as the backdrop on a story.

4.5 ⭐, rounded up because the writing style + narrator were so good that I was grossly entranced during the gory body horror scenes, which I usually do not like.

I love a good, creepy haunting and horror with social commentary. My husband was worried about me when he saw the shocked, disgusted, and horrified faces I was making while listening to this, if that's a sign of horror quality for anyone. I loved how creepy the ghosts were, the commentary on the Asian experience in the US during the COVID pandemic, the relatability of being an American kid who is disconnected from and stumbling through their cultural heritage, the character development that made me love Cora's friends, and Cora's own growth as a character. I usually stay away from any stories about/inspired by COVID, but I came for the cool book cover and stayed for the ghosts.

Natalie Naudus is an amazing narrator as ever, and I was thrilled to find out that she read for this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC.

I couldn't get into this book. I tried but it was pretty slow at the start. Reading other reviews said to give it more time but i just couldn't get into it.

Bat eater, and other names for Cora Zeng, was wonderful. It started out out a little slow but it wasn't long before it grab hold of my attention and I was doing a little extra cleaning to listen more. The narrator was perfect for this story, her voice held a bit of melancholy that highlighted the themes in the story. A different perspective to the CoVID epidemic than I personally experienced, or have read/watched about. It really forced me to think and feel about the characters in the story, and the real people that lived and are living through so much hatred and bigotry for things they hand nothing to do with.

Racism is one hell of a team to pick.

This taught me the COVID-19 trauma is still too close to examine for myself. But this also had a great message in terms of anti-Asian hate and how truly misplaced and vile it is. What happens and what is discovered by Cora in this grisly horror is awful, to say the least. After witnessing her sister's brutal murder for being Chinese, and with no justice served, Cora spirals in her isolation and takes a job cleaning up crime scenes. The string of murders are connected, and with the help of a truly vivid ghost, works to figure out how to put her sister to rest and find her killer. It's a searing commentary on what Asian communities faced during COVID with an excellent twist of horror.

My only complaint is that the story took a little too long to find its footing and I struggled to find where the story was going. That said, the last half was very compelling and at times quite heartbreaking. I did want more from the ending but I feel that it was very realistic, given the story and the characters.

Oh man oh man oh man. This was a rollercoaster. Especially in the last third. I listened in part during commutes to and from work, and tonight, I was tense the whole ride home as I follow Cora and her coworker’s car adventure (that’s the non-spoiler term I’m going with). I felt sick through much of this novel. But never in a way that kept me from reading. Cora Zeng had so much strength in her. To get through all that she did, with all the odds against her.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is about racism. It’s about finding yourself in the middle of gunk and blood. It’s about trusting no one but yourself and your friends. About listening to the ones who try and show us the way, even when we’re not really listening and only ‘hearing.’ It’s about being scared to stand apart but learning that no matter how scared you really are, you can still face the darkness when it matters. It’s about strength and rage and all the bullshit minorities have to go through in “the land of the free.”

Baker does a great job highlighting the intricacies of white supremacy and ableism and hatred. The protagonist must walk a tightrope between ghosts and a serial killer targeting Chinese women. Both options seem terrifying (and are presented pretty terrifyingly). But we all know which is scarier: the one with deep roots in our society. Ghosts follow rules. Racism does not.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital audio-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was alright. My biggest hot take is that I think the book would be better if there were no ghosts in it. The story and characters were so compelling in their own right that the addition of the ghosts kind of bogged the story down

I gave this book a 4.5/5 ⭐️. I really enjoyed this book, there were times where I was laughing, almost crying and creeped out by some of the scenes! It really makes you think about Covid and all the things everyone went through. I enjoyed the audiobook as well! I would definitely recommend this one!!

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is the most unexpected 5-and-a-half-star surprise of 2025 for me.
This was completely off my radar (outside of knowing it was the January Evernight -horror subscription box- pick) and now I fear this may be one of the best horror books - or maybe just books period- that I read all year.

Set in 2020 New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, Coa Zeng is a crime scene cleaner who is horrified to recognize the far too easily discernible pattern that a large number of crime victims look a lot like her. Unfortunately- it is also no surprise to Cora considering she has already witnessed the loss of her sister to a hate crime.

This narrative beautifully incorporates supernatural elements that seamlessly tie into the cultural significance and ultimately weaves a brilliant and wholly unique horror story that humanity desperately needs to consume, live with, and grow from.

This is going to be the book I won't shut the eff up about this year.

(And, just in case you are curious, yes, the audiobook does the words-on-page justice.)

Thank you so much to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for advance audio copy access in exchange for an honest review.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a scary and devastating read. Cora Zeng is an Chinese American living in New York City in 2020. She is a crime scene cleaner grieving after witnessing the murder of her sister, Delilah. Her sister is just one of many East Asian women attacked as a result of the racism and fear mongering during the pandemic dubbed "the China Virus." As Cora finds herself cleaning crime scenes of murdered Asian women, she believes that there is a serial killer targeting them and no one else seems to care. At the same time, Cora is being haunted by her sister who has returned as a Hungry Ghost. She and her two coworkers attempt to help her sister Delilah move on while solving the mystery of who is brutally murdering Asian women and leaving mangled bats at the scene.

I want to read it again.

Wow!! 4.5 stars

I didn’t know if I’d like a book that took me back to such an awful time that I didn’t want to remember. Being half Chinese myself, I experienced racist remarks and treatment in light of the pandemic by people in my vicinity. Some I just walked past on the streets telling me to go back to China - a place I have never been, having been born and raised in the US lol. So how this book opens up with Cora’s sister being brutally murdered and called a “bat eater” hit a nerve and quickly threw me into this story. Raw, thought-provoking and dark, this book was a very solid read and Kylie is such a talented author!

I have devoured everything she has read and this book is so exception.

Thank you NetGalley and MIRA for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cora Zeng is a biracial Chinese American living in Chinatown NYC with her half-sister. It is March 2020 and the recently unemployed sisters have just secured the only roll of toilet paper they could find and they are awaiting a very delayed subway (triple whammy because it's the end times). Just as the train is rolling into the station, a white man shouts "bat eater" before shoving Cora's sister in front of said train. Chapter 1 ends with Cora covered in her sister's blood, standing next to her headless body. Safe to say: this is going to be a gorey ride!

The book proceeds to August 2020 whence Cora has secured a job as a crime scene cleaner. She is cleaning out what is clearly a 🔪 scene where an Asian woman was the victim when the drain clogs. No stranger to the disgusting, Cora unclogs the drain only to pull out a bat carcass. This is the first in a string of scenes where the victim is an Asian woman and there are bats and bat carcasses on scene. She and her two Chinese team members battle casual and overt racism every day during the COVID-19 pandemic, so it's hard to not see these as a connected string of hate crimes.

To make matters worse, the eighth month is the Hungry Ghost month in Chinese mythology. Being an ABC Chinglish-speaking daughter to a mid-western mom, Cora doesn't put much stock into Chinese superstitions. However, it does seem that her sister is haunting her. Given Cora's history of mental illness, however, she is unsure if she is being haunted or if she needs to seek psychiatric help again. But it also seems that the ghost wants her to solve her sister's unsolved murder. After breaking down to her coworkers, who very much believe in ghosts given their sordid pasts, the team goes on the hunt to solve the crime so that her sister may get to rest.

I thought I knew how this mystery was going to unfold from the start, but boy howdy, I was wrong.

<Spoiler>Given Cora's internal monologue in Chapter 1 and the likelihood of her being an unreliable narrator, I definitely thought Cora was the guilty party and that the ghosts and the bats were all figments of her imagination. But in fact, there are ghosts and they all want their pound of flesh.</spoiler>

I adored the connections that Cora unwittingly made with her coworkers after a string of family abandonment. The author says this is the most depressing book she has written to date and in many ways, this book is full of tragedy and unfortunately, there's a lot of truth and reality in the tragedies examined. However, there was love and joy and growth to balance it out. Oh, and an epic scorched earth ending.

Full stars for an important story well told. Excellent narration.

Disclosures: ARCs and ALC received as an influencer with The Hive/HTP Books. Opinions are my own as well as the money I spent on the special edition of this book :)