- Date Published:
April, 2025 - Length:
304 pages—Listening Time: 8 hr 47 minutes - Genre:
Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Suspense - Setting:
2020, during Covid pandemic; New York City - Awards:
Library Reads Monthly Pick Top Ten April 2025 - Languages:
English - Sensitive Aspects:
Racial and hate crimes, graphic violence, gore, child abuse, sexual harassment, police brutality, animal cruelty and death (specifically involving bats), alcohol abuse, and pandemic-related trauma - Movie:
There is no information available about movie deals for the book Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng. - Recommended for Book Club:
Yes. Groups that love mystery and horror books will especially love this book.
Fellow reading addicts, I must share a book that completely captivated me: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker. To be completely honest, I added this one to my TBR list with absolutely no idea what I was getting into, but with Halloween creeping closer, I thought a horror novel might be the perfect seasonal read. What I discovered was so much more than just a scary story. It's a powerful, haunting exploration of one of the darkest chapters of our recent history (the COVID-19 pandemic) wrapped in supernatural terror.
This novel follows Cora Zeng, a 24-year-old Chinese-American woman working as a crime scene cleaner in New York City's Chinatown during the early days of COVID. The story begins with an absolutely devastating hate crime. A stranger, who screams "bat eater" before fleeing, pushes her beloved sister Delilah in front of a subway train, and Cora witnesses the whole thing.. Four months later, Cora is barely holding herself together, channeling her grief and her severe germaphobia into her grim work cleaning up after murders and suicides.
What makes Cora such a compelling character is Baker's brilliant portrayal of her wonderfully neurodivergent traits. The narrative seamlessly weaves her OCD tendencies, germaphobia, and anxiety, making her feel incredibly real and relatable. As someone who tends to be a bit on the OCD side, I found Cora's internal world both heartbreaking and authentic. Her compulsions around cleanliness become both a coping mechanism and a way to maintain some control in a world that has become utterly chaotic.
The horror in this book isn't just supernatural, though the hungry ghosts from Chinese folklore are genuinely terrifying. The horror is the very real anti-Asian hate that exploded during the pandemic. The statistics are staggering and heartbreaking: hate crimes against Asian Americans increased by 150% in 2020, with some cities seeing increases of over 300%. According to Stop AAPI Hate, over 9,000 incidents were reported between March 2020 and August 2021, with nearly 70% involving verbal harassment that often included being called "Chinese Coronavirus." The FBI revealed an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes from 158 incidents in 2019 to 279 in 2020 and a startling 746 in 2021. These weren't just statistics—they represented real people like Cora, facing violence and hatred simply for existing while Asian during a global crisis.
Baker doesn't hesitate to depict the manifestations of this racism in everyday life, ranging from public slurs to internalized slurs. The title itself, "Bat Eater," serves as a vicious reference to the anti-Asian slurs that became commonplace, as people blamed Chinese individuals for the virus. What makes this work even more powerful is how Baker uses the supernatural elements—the bats left at crime scenes, the hungry ghosts—as metaphors for how society viewed Asian people as pests to be exterminated.
I loved this book. Baker has created something that manages to be both a gripping thriller about a serial killer targeting Asian women and a profound meditation on grief, trauma, and survival. Her masterful balance of supernatural horror with psychological depth never loses sight of the very real social commentary. This is exactly the kind of book that people need to read and discuss, especially as we continue to grapple with the lasting effects of hatred and division from the pandemic era.
In the grimy underbelly of New York's Chinatown, Cora Zeng navigates a world that seems perpetually stained with blood, as the pandemic's first waves crashed against an already vulnerable community. As a crime scene cleaner, she methodically scrubs away the remnants of violence, the viscera, the despair, the final moments of strangers' lives, but no amount of bleach can cleanse the trauma seared into her memory.
The horror began months earlier at an abandoned subway station, where Cora helplessly watched as her half-sister Delilah was shoved into an oncoming train. The killer's parting words, "bat eater," echo through her fractured psyche like a curse, transforming an already anxious young woman into someone who compulsively sanitizes every surface, counts her steps, and triple-checks locks. Her Chinese father has fled back to China, and her white mother has disappeared into a cult upstate, leaving Cora adrift between cultures and families that never quite fit.
Working alongside her eccentric colleagues—Yifei and Harvey—Cora finds herself drawn into an increasingly sinister pattern. The crime scenes they are called to clean share disturbing commonalities: all the victims are young East Asian women, and each scene features the grotesque presence of mutilated bats—stuffed in drains, painted in blood on walls, and scattered like omens. As anti-Asian sentiment festers in pandemic-era America, the police appear disturbingly uninterested in making connections between these incidents.
But Cora's isolation isn't complete. Cora's Aunt Zeng warns her about the approaching Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates between worlds are thin and restless spirits seek what they were denied in life. Cora dismisses these old superstitions until food starts disappearing from her apartment, bite marks appear on her furniture, and a slack-jawed shadow begins lurking in her doorway. When Delilah's ghost materializes, demanding justice and sustenance, Cora must confront whether she's losing her mind or if something far more dangerous is stalking the women of Chinatown.
Kylie Lee Baker combines supernatural horror with the real terrors of racial violence, crafting a narrative in which hungry ghosts and serial killers are indistinguishable threats in a world that has already deemed certain bodies disposable.
Here are compelling reasons that I recommend that you read Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker.
Powerful Immigration Narrative
This novel provides a candid exploration of the Asian American immigrant experience across multiple generations. Baker crafts a story that resonates with anyone who has felt caught between cultures, making it particularly relevant for readers seeking authentic voices in contemporary fiction. The generational trauma and resilience themes will spark meaningful book club discussions about family legacy and identity.
Stunning Lyrical Prose
Baker's writing style is both poetic and accessible, creating beautiful imagery that brings each scene to life. Her ability to weave together past and present through evocative language makes this book one that readers will want to savor slowly. I found myself rewinding frequently because I didn't want to miss any of Baker's masterful images. The prose alone makes it worth recommending to readers who appreciate literary craftsmanship.
Complex Family Dynamics
The multi-generational story explores how family secrets and cultural expectations shape individual identities over several decades. Baker skillfully portrays the tension between honoring tradition and forging one's own path, creating characters who feel authentically human in their struggles. These family relationships will resonate deeply with readers who have navigated similar cultural bridges.
Timely Social Commentary
The novel addresses contemporary issues of xenophobia, belonging, and cultural preservation without being preachy or heavy-handed. Baker presents these themes through personal stories instead of political rhetoric, which makes the social commentary more impactful and accessible. This approach makes it perfect for book clubs wanting to discuss current events through literature.
Unique Cultural Perspective
The book offers valuable insights into Chinese American experiences, which are often underrepresented in mainstream literature. Baker brings authenticity to cultural details and traditions while making them accessible to readers from all backgrounds. This cultural richness adds depth and educational value to the reading experience.
Compelling Character Development
Cora Zeng is a complex protagonist whose journey of self-discovery will captivate readers from the first page. Baker creates a character who is both strong and vulnerable, making choices that readers may question but ultimately understand. Her growth throughout the novel provides a satisfying character arc that will leave readers thinking long after they finish.
Perfect for Book Club Discussion
The themes of identity, family loyalty, and cultural assimilation in the novel provide rich material for group conversations. Baker raises questions about belonging and authenticity that don't have easy answers, encouraging deeper reflection and debate. The multiple narrative threads also give book clubs plenty to unpack and analyze together.
Get Kylie Lee Baker Books!
Discover the haunting debut that explores identity, belonging, and the weight of names in Kylie Lee Baker's Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng – a powerful coming-of-age story that confronts racism, family secrets, and the courage it takes to define yourself on your own terms.
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Here are books with similar themes of Asian American identity, supernatural horror, grief, and contemporary social issues:
Contemporary Asian American Horror
- The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
Explores the psychological aftermath when Ji Won's father abandons the family, leaving her to care for her mother and sister while dealing with her mother's new boyfriend, who fetishizes Asian women. This psychological thriller explores racism, sexism, and cultural fetishization with disturbing and thought-provoking elements. - Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
The novel tracks the transformation of an unnamed Asian woman at Holistik, a beauty company that enforces extreme beauty standards through its products. The novel combines body horror with social commentary on beauty, race, class, and identity.
Supernatural Horror with Cultural Elements
- Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
The story unfolds in a haunted Japanese mansion, where five friends gather for a wedding, only to encounter eerie entities rooted in Japanese folklore. The novella combines traditional folklore with modern Gothic horror, creating a chilling atmosphere filled with strained relationships and dark secrets. - Black Water Sister by Zen Cho
Features Jessamyn Teoh, who returns to Malaysia and becomes entangled with the ghost of her grandmother and local spirits while navigating family expectations and cultural identity. The novel blends Malaysian folklore with contemporary family drama and supernatural elements.
Grief and Trauma-Focused Fiction
- The Graveyard Apartment by Mariko Koike
Follows a young family moving into an apartment next to a graveyard where strange and terrifying occurrences begin to unfold. This slow-burn horror builds atmospheric tension while exploring themes of haunted spaces and family isolation. - Linghun by Ai Jiang
Described as a modern gothic ghost story set in the mysterious town of Home, where the deceased come back to life and residents refuse to let go. This novella-length work serves as a meditation on grief and what it does to the heart.
Dark Social Commentary
- Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
The collection of short stories, Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, explores the real horrors of patriarchy and capitalism in modern society through a blend of magical realism, horror, and science fiction. The stories examine themes of loneliness, exploitation, and societal norms by incorporating fantastic and surreal elements. - Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata
Sayaka Murata presents twelve short stories that are harsh, unsettling, and sometimes humorous, featuring characters who defy societal norms. Murata's writing attacks traditions and hierarchies while analyzing social rules and women's identities in contemporary society.
Atmospheric Horror with Asian Elements
- The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey
Follows Julie Crews, a down-on-her-luck magic user in New York City caught in events that could destroy the universe. This urban magical horror novel blends magical noir with cosmic horror, featuring carnage, gore, and mystical secrets. - Audition by Ryu Murakami
Tells the story of a middle-aged widower who holds fake movie auditions to find a new wife, becoming infatuated with a former ballerina who seems too good to be true. This suspenseful thriller builds tension gradually while exploring themes of deception and obsession.
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