Villain Hitting for Vicious Little Nobodies

by Lindsay Wong

“A suspenseful, audacious, subversive portrait of the lives of unforgettable women. In turns beautiful and gruesome, this book made me cackle aloud, and contains extraordinary depth of thought and imagination. . . . A wickedly good tale.” —Shashi Bhat, author of Death by a Thousand Cuts

A young woman signs her life away in the ancient Chinese tradition of corpse marriage in this wickedly hilarious novel about class, ambition, and the burden of being an impoverished model minority.

Poor, vicious Locinda Lo is a nobody with a powerful witch for a grandmother and an undead corpse-kid-sister as her only friend. A broke MFA dropout living in Vancouver with six roommates and zero job prospects, she’s buried so deep in debt she might as well be six feet under—and her family is in danger of being buried along with her.

Desperate to escape her financial woes and save her grandmother and sister, Locinda signs a contract with a nefarious company, Joyful Coffin & Co. Matchmaking Services, to be auctioned off as a corpse bride to the highest bidder. Next thing she knows, she’s being smuggled underground into the damp caves where her training coffin awaits.

As Locinda prepares for a rich, dying dearly beloved to claim her as his bride-to-be in the Afterlife, her past becomes twisted with that of her grandmother, Baozhai. A feared and revered Villain Hitter, or witchy curse-monger, Baozhai’s legacy stretches from 1920s China to the Battle of Hong Kong in the 40s to New York City thereafter. Across the generational divide, one thing becomes achingly clear to them you can’t outrun your ghosts.

Villain Hitting for Vicious Little Nobodies is a daring, genre-bending meditation on life, death, and the murderous cost of living in between. It lays bare the societal and cultural expectations placed on Chinese women and the devastating price of enduring them. This chilling masterclass in fiction cements Lindsay Wong as one of the most provocative Canadian horror writers of our time.

Genres: Horror, Adult, Fiction, Canada

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 13, 2026

About the author

Lindsay Wong holds a BFA in Creative Writing from The University of British Columbia and a MFA in Literary Nonfiction from Columbia University in New York City.

Wong has been awarded fellowships and residencies at The Kimmel-Harding Nelson Center in Nebraska City, Caldera Arts in Oregon, and The Studios of Key West, among others. Currently, she is writer-in-residence at The John Howard Society and The Community Arts Council of Vancouver.

Reviews

[Ai Jiang]

Villain Hitting for Vicious Little Nobodies perfectly blends harrowing body horror, Chinese afterlife and minghun, eldest child trauma and guilt, both fortune and curses, karma and consequences, the unfairness of society and choicelessness, while exploring cruelty and isolation, forced solitude, and the desire and struggle to live while hiding your deepest vulnerabilities and protecting your pride through a tongue-in-cheek narrative that is equal parts vicious yet quirky.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written, but deeply upsetting. The characters are steeped in misfortune, tragedy and bitterness, making it difficult and uncomfortable to be inside their heads, which I think is the point. It's a very interesting concept and premise, and I really appreciated the peek into Chinese folklore and history. Be warned though, this isn't for the faint of heart or someone looking for a fun read. It's fascinating, but dark.

[Enid Wray]

I think I’m just not the reader for this one.

DNF

[Gigi]

DNF @20%

I really wanted to like this one and for the right reader, it’ll be hit. It has a very unique premise and I love supporting a fellow Asian & Canadian author! However, I think it comes down to a me thing. I wasn’t expecting an uplifting read, but as another reviewer mentions, it’s a story with characters steeped in tragedy and misfortune. The tone is where the story didn’t bode well for me. It sounded very bitter, making it hard to digest. Personally, I don’t think I’m in the right head space for it. Which is ok. We don’t all need to like the same books or have the same opinions.

These are just my own reasons for not enjoying it. But by no means was it terrible. The writing itself is very good and someone who doesn’t have triggers, should give it a chance.

[Hollay Ghadery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Villain Hitting for Vicious Little Nobodies glitters like an ominous jewel. Lindsay Wong creates a deliriously enthralling gothic tale of a dysfunctional family of women who do what they need to do to survive and are punished for it. Filled with morbid humour and piercing insight, Wong’s writing sings. It howls. Locinda and her grandmother, Baozhai, are gorgeous and gruesome; tender and cruel. They are
perfect mirrors through which to reckon with our own unsettling contradictions and complexities. I know they will revisit me on my next dark night of the soul. And I’ll be glad for their company.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is unlike anything I have read before. Steeped within Chinese culture it is easily approachable by anyone that has a complex family relationship. The novel is contemporary fiction with hints of horror and supernatural elements. It doesn't fit easily into a single genre.

[Amanda T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to love this novel - it has a unique premise. Unfortunately, it gets bogged down in the middle with a character backstory that isn't important to the central storyline. A fantastic beginning and a good ending doesn't make up for it being 100 pages too long.

[Adelle Purdham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vicious, gruesome, and brilliant. Satisfying all the way through.

[capricornreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book completely captivated me from start to finish, the main character's voice felt so distinct and the premise is fascinating, highly recommend!

[Jade]

DNFing for now, will probably pick it up later

[Leanne Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic, weird and snarky and heartbreaking.

[Michele]

DNF for now. I love this premise but I can’t get into it right now. Slowly got to 12%