CorePunch (A Baker & Ban!drn Adventure) by Pauline Baird Jones

Science Fiction Romance and Mystery

From Goodreads:  

A kiss may be all they have life expectancy for.

When an intergalactic cop exchange program serves up an alien partner for NONPD Detective Violet Baker, she can’t help wishing the handsome alien would be a little less Joe Friday about keeping the pleasure out of their business. Yeah, he’s kind of purple and she can’t pronounce his name to save her life, but he’s almost the only guy in the New Orleans New police department that she’s not related to.

Dzholh “Joe” Ban!drn has come a long way hunting the evil that has infiltrated Vi’s floating city. When he meets his charming partner, he discovers another reason to stamp out evil. If only he wasn’t keeping so many secrets from her…

When an epic hurricane heads their way, they are sent dirt side to New Orleans Old (NOO) on a rescue mission. But murder and sabotage strands them in the heart of the raging storm.

As they fight for their lives, Joe realizes that the evil he’s hunting is actually hunting them.

Core Punch started with some fun world building.  Core Punch is set in New Orleans or the Big Uneasy as Violet Baker calls it but not New Orleans as we know it.  The city has been raised and floats in the air above old New Orleans. I really liked the concept.

I also like the two main characters or is that three main characters.  There is Violet Baker, a police detective and Dzholh “Joe” Ban!drn , her partner from the intergalactic cop exchange program.   The exchange program is another fun concept. Who is the third main character.  He came with Dzholh and is part of the secret in the story. 

When a major hurricane hits Violet and “Joe” are sent to Old New Orleans to rescue some of the ground residents but nothing goes as planned.  Start with a murder; add the hurricane arriving ahead of time, the arrival of an old and evil enemy, trust issues between Violet and “Joe” and their attraction to each other and you have an exciting story.  One big thing is left unsolved so look for further adventures of Violet and “Joe”. 

Pauline Baird Jones published CorePunch in 2014. 

I received a free copy of Core Punch from the author in exchange for an honest review.