Dead Drop

by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

Summertime is all fun and games ...and spycraft.

When Jaimie and her brother discover a hollow place in a half-dead tree, she and her friends decide it’s the perfect dead drop for their amateur spy-ring. As time goes on, the messages Jaimie receives become harder to decipher. Is one of her friends a real spy? Or is something even stranger going on?

This is a short story (approx. 26 minutes average reading time).

Genres: Contemporary, Short Stories, Mystery, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure

36 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2018

About the author

Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick lives in an undisclosed location outside of Phoenix where she and her husband chase their four little boys and an escape-artist dog. They don't chase their cats, however, because cats hate that. She is the author of "The Kitten Files" mysteries, "The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott" spy series, and multiple short stories.

In addition to her writing, Perry enjoys graphic design, playing a number of musical instruments, and watching movies that make her laugh.

Find her books, newsletter, and free stories at www.perrykirkpatrick.com.

Perry's fantastical alter-ego is Denver Evans, author of the Shallows trilogy.

Reviews

[Sarah Grace Grzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was unexpected! I hadn't read a synopsis for this, so I really didn't know what to expect from it. A middle grade story with a dead drop, the FBI, and WITSEC? Fun!

The characters were fun and their interactions were very realistic. The sudden plot-twist was quite surprising and very . . . sudden. Kirkpatrick's writing style is lovely, as always. Despite being for a young audience, the reader never feels like they are being "talked down to", as I often find j-fic novels do. I feel like this could have been a bit longer, and have described some things better, but overall, I don't really have any complaints.

A fun, short, easy read! I haven't yet read a novel by Kirkpatrick that I don't like. Highly recommended!

[R.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't like a good, little mystery? This was very exciting and I'm so glad I got to read it! :) FBI's are pretty neat, so that made the story even better. And those code names! Wow, yeah, it was impressive!

Yes, this was a fun story that I know anyone would enjoy!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those vintage kids’ mysteries where summer vacation is perfect and your neighbors are you best friends? Add this one to the list. <3 I read it aloud to all my siblings, and everyone enjoyed it. ;) The sibling dynamic was really cute and funny, and the spy stuff was fantastic. :D I was particularly cracking up at the fairytale-themed codenames. Some of our favorite parts were Alan’s summer project and when they found the tree. One of my sisters declared it was good enough to be a full length book. Just a note, there is some suspense that may concern younger readers momentarily.

Best quote: “You found a tree,” Mary said quizzically, stating the obvious. “Yeah, but it’s special. Can you tell me why?” Alan asked, sounding suspiciously like a kindergarten teacher.

Altogether, this made a very fun evening. ;)

[Angie Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great short story! I loved the interaction between the kids; limited as it was, I never felt like anything was lacking. This was a great combination of carefree summer fun and unexpected adventure brought to an excellent finish! I figured out right away that they were getting the wrong notes, so the suspense really built up through the whole thing for me. I loved the fact that the kids brought their parents/the authorities in on things as soon as they realized something was wrong, rather than trying to solve the problem themselves--no flimsy "no one will believe us without more evidence" excuses. Score! XD And even though I'd have loved more details on what was really going on, I thought there was a good, realistic balance--enough clues to piece together some of the danger but no FBI agents spilling classified information to random civilian families. :P

4.5 stars

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, short story to read. I was surprised to find the charming pace suddenly changed to intense in a few short moments and the story wound up with whirlwind finish. I didn't understand some things, but that could either be because I was analyzing it too much, or I was missed something. But overall, it was a fun read.

[Tarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun summertime story that any kid would enjoy. It has special code names, typewritten notes, and a secret hiding place... and, yeah, the F.B.I. too!

I only wish I could have read some MORE of the puzzling, secret notes that the kids found.

Overall? Whimsical and makes for a cute summer read.

[Angela R. Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick paced mystery that would be sweet for a read aloud for kids. Characters were sweet and the story, while sometimes confusing, was nice.

[G. Buckner · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

This was a sweet little book! It wasn't at all predictable, and it kept me really interested. I'm looking forward to reading other books by Mrs. Kirkpatrick.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest reveiew.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. The first time I read this story, the plot of this story completely confused me. I had no idea what the danger was, who were the villains, or anything else really. But I enjoyed the humour and the characters anyways. The second time I read it, years later, I quite appreciated it! It’s obviously for a younger audience, but it's written in a fun, clever way that adults can enjoy too (seriously, seeing things from 11- to 13-year-old eyes again is so cool). The plot was quite interesting and the characters were delightful! And finally, the mail-fetching at the end was awesome. xD

A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘At least your Summer Project is something you are always wanting to do. Mom said “saving the world” didn’t count as a realistic Summer Project. I thought it was a great idea. Better than her idea of training the crazy dog to do tricks.’

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Dead Drop
Written By: Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick
Genre: Espionage/Short Story
Recommended Ages: Any

This story took me by surprise. I didn't expect the twist at the end. I loved all the kids in the story. Each one had a unique personality. The writing was very good and I enjoyed the story from beginning to end.

I received a free copy with no compunction for a review, good or bad.

[Lydia Willcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I loved this story!
I kept on thinking how scary it would be to have this happen to you. The suspense was so good as the children slowly begin to realise something's not right... and their continued involvement made sense. Everything progressed very realistically and it felt like something that could actually happen to average young teenagers.
I also really liked it that the moment the children realised something was going on, they immediately told their parents about it and left it with them. It was so much more realistic than most children's stories where the children do everything alone without any adult knowing a thing about it.
And the way the summer projects tied in - I loved that!! It was brilliant and everything built up to that climax perfectly.
Fast-paced, clever, and exciting, this felt a lot like a modern-day short Enid Blyton story. While it is a middle-grade, it could be enjoyed by anyone!

[Mikayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved this as a kid. As it was, I still really liked it. I liked the everyday adventures of the kids, and then their very real way of handling what happened. It was fun, fast paced, and quick.

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful short story to read. I got sucked into the story and I was really impressed with the FBI moments that the author put in. The writing was well-done and left a great impression on me. The code names were so fun, and although I predicted what was going to happen early on, this would be great clean story for all ages to read. I can see my younger brothers getting interesting in reading this wonderful story.

I received a copy of this ebook from the author (thanks Perry!) in exchange for an honest review. I was not obliged to give a positive one.

[Erika Mathews · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun little story