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The world is a scary place right now, and there’s a lot of ways people are coping with that. For some, it’s best to shut the world out and find something nice and light to read. Something that will get them out of their head and help them forget the darker sides of life. And I get it. Sometimes I am that person. Sometimes a bit of romance and wish fulfillment feels just right.
And then a lot of other times, it’s more cathartic just to stare the horrors of the world in the face. To accept the paranoia and terror and let it wash over you. If you’re one of those people who deals with your own anxiety and fear by turning to darker things, then Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is the book for you. This horror novel explores the fear and anxiety of contemporary, post-COVID-19 America…and throws in some ghosts as well.
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
In Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng, the horrors start straight away. In New York City, Cora and her sister Delilah are waiting for a train home when a racist stranger lashes out at them and pushes Delilah in front of a train. He didn’t show his face, but he did whisper two words before disappearing into the crowd: “bat eater.”
Months later, Cora is still reeling from the loss of her sister, who was the biggest, most significant presence in her life. Cora has taken on a job as a crime scene cleaner, and cleaning away murders until they disappear is actually a good outlet for her. She has always been a bit of a germophobe, but since the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the death of her sister, Cora’s OCD has been consuming her life. At least cleaning gives Cora a sense of control in a world that otherwise doesn’t make much sense. And she’s found friendship with her coworkers.
But nothing can completely silence the fear and paranoia. A lot of Cora’s recent clean-ups have involved the brutal murders of Asian women. What’s more, she keeps finding dead bats at the crime scenes. Then seemingly supernatural occurrences start happening all around her apartment. Things go missing. She finds bite marks on the coffee table. Cora’s Auntie Zeng tries to warn her that she should prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival—when the gates of hell will open—but surely that’s just nonsense mysticism, right? Or…maybe Delilah’s ghost has returned and is looking for someone to avenge her death.
Cora’s story is emotional. It’s surprising. And unfortunately, it also hits very close to the realities of living in the United States in 2025. Which is why I think this might end up being one of the best—if not the best—horror novels of the year. It’s an unflinching look at the racism, xenophobia, and paranoia that currently steer many of the decisions being made in this country. It’s also a very personal story of loss and reclaiming one’s identity. But this novel has moments of levity as well. Cora finds real friendships with her coworkers that pull her through some of the more agonizing moments of this story.
Read This Book
One book recommendation to help you cut through the noise
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat with all of its surprising twists, turns, and moments of true supernatural terror. It will scare you. It will grip your heart. And it will even make you laugh at times. Horror fans, you don’t want to miss this one.
Happy weekend reading, bibliophiles! Feel free to follow me on Instagram @emandhercat, and check out my other newsletters, The Fright Stuff and Book Radar!