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The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott #3

Bad Things, Small Packages

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Head colds are bad... but the contents of the memory card are worse.

Emily has planned a quiet, restful evening at home, hoping to ward off the sniffles that might make her miss work. But the microSD card Brent stashed on her car is making more trouble than either of them expected. Getting it out of Phoenix and to the decryption genius before it self-destructs is going to take both of them.

But someone is after them and the card, and Emily discovers an eerie connection to her first accidental mission. To make matters worse, ICS is in danger and someone's looking for Emily.

It's going to be a long night.


"The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott" is a series of clean spy-comedy novellas set in Phoenix, Arizona.
1. Red Rover, Red Rover - May 6, 2019
2. Plan to Fail - May 13, 2019
3. Bad Things, Small Packages - May 27, 2019
4. Tutor, Nanny, Spit-up, Spy - June 17, 2019
5. A-Spying We Will Go - July 8, 2019
6. Once Upon a Dime - July 29, 2019

176 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2019

16 people are currently reading
101 people want to read

About the author

Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

29 books199 followers
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.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
Profile Image for Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls).
2,207 reviews5,188 followers
November 20, 2023
About this book:

“Head colds are bad... but the contents of the memory card are worse.
Emily has planned a quiet, restful evening at home, hoping to ward off the sniffles that might make her miss work. But the microSD card Brent stashed on her car is making more trouble than either of them expected. Getting it out of Phoenix and to the decryption genius before it self-destructs is going to take both of them.
But someone is after them and the card, and Emily discovers an eerie connection to her first accidental mission. To make matters worse, ICS is in danger and someone's looking for Emily.
It's going to be a long night.”



Series: Book #3 in “The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott”. Review of Book #1 Here! and #2 Here!


Spiritual Content- A mention of praying; A mention of Emily’s church.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘duh’, a ‘dumb’, and a ‘stupid’; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Pain & Injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Being a spy, Brent does lie once to keep his cover; Mentions of car chases, car wrecks, cars being totaled, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of explosions, bombs, kidnappings, pain, injuries, & bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mention of breaking and entering, burglaries, & stealing; Mentions of tattoos; A few mentions of terrorist, terrorist attacks, & nuclear wars; A couple mentions of assassins; A couple mentions of criminals; A couple mentions of prison & an arrest; A couple mentions of missing children; A mention of jealousy; A mention of horror movies;
*Note: Mentions of car brands; Mentions of Uber; A few mentions of zombies (which Emily calls creepy); A couple mentions of the song “Santa Baby”; A couple mentions of a spy movie (Get Smart); A mention of a fictional character (Mary Poppins).


Sexual Content- A couple mentions of a crush (teasing); A mention of jealousy exes.

-Emily Abbott, age 19
P.O.V. of Emily
176 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars

What’s been fun about this series, while it can be a bit cheesy at times, if you became an accidental spy and got roped into different secret missions, I know at least I would be very curious to know if being a spy in real life is like being a spy in a movie. With all the gadgets and technology, all the things like that. So I think Emily is very realistic in that way. :)

Not too much happens in this book, but I do really like how this series connects straight away from the prior book and leads into the next book. No breaks or major gaps in time. I think I may actually start the next book right away because I'm curious about the next mission.


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
Profile Image for Kate Willis.
Author 24 books572 followers
November 27, 2019
Re-read
I can't pick a favorite from this season, but if I had to, it might be this one. Maybe because it's green or because it's so relatable. XD I loved all the classic spy stuff in this one--hacking, evading, safehouses--and two of my favorite side characters were introduced, so yay! :D

Original Review
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, I’m loving this summer, and this series is why.

This book picked up right where the last one left off and things are seriously ramping up. More clues on who they’re up against and the revelation of a surprisingly clever plot. O.o. But, thanks to Brent and Emily’s roadtrip conversations, her headcold, and a certain microwave, this installment was just as real and hilarious as ever. XD I especially enjoyed the very uncliche hacker, and how Brent is definitely not from Arizona. :P (He needs help with his disguises. And maybe a warning about cactus.) Emily and he make a great team--what with his skills and her ordinaryness and noticing things. I loved how she was faking it on their way into headquarters. ;) I think I’m gonna like this “Detective Frank”, though let’s hope Brent doesn’t get into too much trouble with her.

Just a note, there was some mild peril. ;)

Best quotes: She slid into the driver’s seat and smirked. “You get into a lot of car chases, don’t you, Agent Nighthawk?” Deepening her voice to mimic Brent’s, she answered herself. “That’s movie stuff, Emily.” “Sure it is.”

Now do you have a fever?” “No, Brent, I just say absurd things because it’s who I am.” She gave him a cheesy grin.

Altogether, this was another great addition to the series, and I can’t wait for the next case. XD

Also, don’t work with super tall spies if you’re really short. ;)


Series stats so far...
Codenames: eight
Car crashes: two?
Awesomeness level: 103%
Profile Image for Rebekah Morris.
Author 120 books271 followers
January 4, 2026
2026 ReRead
Emily with a cold! So real and yet these "simple and safe" things don't end up quite as simple or easy as Brent thinks they will be which is kind of funny. Such fun to read these all over again.

4.5 stars
2024 Reread
I'm trying to be slow in my rereading of this series, but . . . It's kind of hard when each book sets you up for the next one. So much fun. And yes, I raised my rating.

2023
Enjoyed this reread again. I wanted something fun and short and with enough excitement that I wouldn't fall asleep.

2021
So much fun to reread this book. The plot thickens and Brent and Emily have more excitement than Brent guessed. I have to laugh at how often Brent is sure things will be safe and simple and they don't end up that way.
Now I need to reread the next book soon.

2019
Once again, reading a paperback instead of a kindle for my 2nd time through was such a delight! And I could read it a little more slowly since I'd already read it once and didn't have to rush through it to find out what happened. It was just as fun as the first time through.


Another delightfully fun read! Poor Emily, I did feel sorry for her because it’s not fun feeling the way she did. But Brent was quite nice about the whole thing. Only two code names? Really, Brent, you’re falling down on the job!
Now I’m eagerly waiting for the next book in the series so I can find out what happens next!
Profile Image for Sarah.
Author 46 books459 followers
November 3, 2023
2023 reread: Still adore this seires. And I have to admit, having a character get a common cold was just the perfect touch to this story

Age Appropriate For: All Ages
Best for Ages: 13 and up

Every book in this series has a touch of realism that is hard to find in many other books. In this one, it's cold. Poor Emily spends this whole case with a head cold with plenty of tissues, sleepiness, and general misery. Of course, that doesn’t stop her from helping out our favorite spy, Brent.

I thought some of the settings in this book were clever and fun to imagine. I don’t want to say more because I want you to discover it for yourself, but let’s just say I’m going to be looking at some run-down places very differently.

This story feels like a continuation of the last book, more than its own separate story, which is just fine with me. Yet, there are also new elements and new challenges. I mean, what could be more challenging than driving along the road and suddenly realizing you need your microwave from home? Yes, you read that right. Trust me, just read the book.

I highly recommend this series is for anyone who likes spy stories, squeaky clean books, and realistic characters.
Profile Image for Virginia Henderson.
Author 15 books85 followers
September 18, 2022
One thing I really appreciate about this series, is that each book picks up directly where the previous one left off. This makes it effortlessly easy to follow along if you're reading the series closely together.

It's actually been a week since I finished this, so I had to do a bit of skimming to jog my memory. As always, this was extremely fast-paced and held my attention from start to finish. Out of all the ones I've read, this is my least favorite mostly due to the lack of a villain. Don't get me wrong, there was still conflict and suspense. Our favorite (and adorable) duo still dealt with the usual on-the-run situations but as for a "villain-villain"' there really wasn't one, per say.

There weren't many Christian aspects if any.

Zero was a neat addition to the story. This might sound strange, but I liked that the author gave Emily a head cold. It made her more relatable and "human."

All in all, another fun installment! While it's not my favorite, I still enjoyed following along for the adventure and well-placed humor. I'm most intrigued to see this plot build up in the next book! If you enjoy squeaky clean spy stories, I highly recommend this series!
Profile Image for Perry.
Author 29 books199 followers
Read
March 30, 2019
Well, that was an absolute blast to write! I finished two days ago and completely didn't have time to update until now! :-P
I can't wait to share this one with you all. To finish it off, here's one last excerpt...

Emily had tried to tell Brent she could drive herself home and save him the trouble, but he’d insisted. Now, she was glad. She kept nodding off on the short ride between North Pole and her apartment complex.
“Congratulations, Brent,” she said, rubbing at her scratchy throat. “You managed to borrow my car without destroying it.”
“There’s still time,” he said, grinning mischievously.
“Oh, stop it.” She rolled her eyes. “Look, the apartments are just ahead—” she paused mid-sentence. “What’s going on?”
Brent slowed as they approached the parking lot outside the ugly apartment complex in which Emily lived. The entire area had been cordoned off with yellow police tape, and several police cars with flashing lights as well as a large, armored vehicle and an unmarked car were staged throughout the emptied lot.
“Is that—?”
“The bomb squad.”
Profile Image for Katja Labonté.
Author 31 books349 followers
December 27, 2024
5+ stars (8/10 hearts). The first time I read this, I loved it even more than Plan to Fail. I like PTF better now but I still thing this book is an epic sequel to it. I enjoyed the quieter pace of this story (even if it’s still full of action and mystery) and just seeing Brent & Emily chat. Their sarcasm really peaked. ;P (The microwave. That was hilarious.) I loved Brent’s protectiveness, Zero + his Not-Lair, Detective Lark, and the new additions to the puzzle… And really, the cliff-hangers of these books are too good.

Content: Emily + Brent still spend a lot of time alone together; some (nonromantic) undetailed touching.

A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Clock’s ticking, Prepper. Let me put this thing in the back seat.’
“‘Sure! Of course, Agent Nighthawk,’ she said, opening the rear passenger-side door for him, ‘go ahead and put my microwave in the back seat. Oh, and by the way… why on earth do you have my microwave?’”


*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.*
Profile Image for Sarah Rhomberg.
Author 1 book24 followers
Read
May 3, 2021
This is another fun edition of “The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott” series and I enjoyed reading it. It picks up right from where the last book stopped. While it was a while since I read the first two books, I got right back into the story and the characters very quickly. Some things were perhaps a little unrealistic, but that really just added to the fun of reading it. Also, I realized this is not a romance, but I really want Brent and Emily to end up together. If you’re looking for a deep book, this is not the right choice, but if you want a super-fun read, it is.


Favourite quotes:

“Someday I’ll stop being awkward.”

“She pulled the headband off and leaned towards him. ‘You know,’ she said as he laid it over her eyes, ‘under normal circumstances this would be really creepy.’”
Profile Image for Jayna Baas.
Author 5 books579 followers
January 25, 2022
Another quick, fun read. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first two, mainly because it seemed as if too much of the case was still unresolved by the end of the book. I know each book sets up the next one, but I like to have a few loose ends tied up in each one! But I laughed out loud at some of the Brent–Emily banter, and I loved the hints at Brent’s accident-prone history at the agency. I liked that this one had a bit more standard spy stuff—safehouses and explosions and “get behind me, they’re onto us.” Movie stuff, I know, but Brent can get over it. If I take these at a rate of one per month, they should last long enough for another one to come out…But sticking to one per month is a pretty big if.
Profile Image for Kaytlin Phillips.
Author 18 books256 followers
May 18, 2023
Man, this was a good one! I love the fact that the stories keep building on each other that's super cool!

Characters:
Emily is just so cute and funny! I love how enamored she is with the whole spy thing! It's so cute!
Brent is cool as always and just so funny! I love this guy!

Language:
N/A

Romance:
Still building, and I'm waiting...albeit impatiently...lol...

Overall:
This story was super cool! And I loved how not everything is cliche and just like they do in spy movies...it's honestly really fun! And Brent and Emily's sense of humor just makes things so entertaining!
Profile Image for S.G. Willoughby.
Author 11 books130 followers
June 18, 2020
The good news: This book came at just the right time to be the perfect a distraction from physical pain.

The bad news: It seems like every time I sit down to read one of the books in the series I seem to be in pain. Alas.

Anyway. I had a lot of fun reading this. It made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions. Yes, it's a little unbelievable and a little cheesy, but it's also unique and clean and fun and interesting yet easy to read.

With each book I love the characters more and more and in this book I also began to see the overarching plot. Emily and Brent are adorable and I'm not a shipping type but . . . yeah, they're great. ;) Can't wait for the next one! And I'm so glad they're on Kindle Unlimited. :)
Profile Image for Mikayla.
1,219 reviews
April 17, 2023
Though I didn’t love it quite as much as the second book, this was delightful. The continuing antics of Brent and Emily did not disappoint. Poor Emily, I wanted to give her a hug. This book was action packed and delightfully funny.
I may or may not have highlighted a whole page of it on my kindle.

Best quotes:

“That’s movie stuff, Brent. I can’t believe I got to be the one to say that!”

“I keep expecting popcorn every time I hear that door open and close,” he added, putting the car in gear. “Oh good – it’s not just me.”

2020>> This was a little more tense then the first two, but it was epic. Emily was so adorable with the cold.
Profile Image for Amanda Tero.
Author 32 books551 followers
July 3, 2019
Hmm... still fast-paced and cute, but the story didn’t feel quite as deep to me. It’s possible it’s finished in the next book? But yeah, this one just seemed like a wild goose chase and I wasn’t quite as interested in alleged goose. There also wasn’t any Christian theme, now that I think back... So far, not my favorite of the series.
Profile Image for Jes Drew.
Author 78 books532 followers
October 23, 2019
This third book in the series brings another classic spy theme I love to the plate: being on the run, kind of. Once again, Emily wiggles herself into one of Brett's cases, only this time, she has a head cold.

You know you're dedicated to a life of adventure when you do it even when sick.

Brett continues to shine in his tender protection of Emily, and we get to see a wider picture of the agency- and its enemies. Fast and fun and funny.

First published on my blog: https://agencyofbooksandspies.blogspo...
Profile Image for Angie Thompson.
Author 50 books1,113 followers
May 27, 2019
Yay, more Emily!!! I just love these stories so much! <3<3<3

As always, I loved both of the main characters, but Brent took the cake for me in this one--he's so sweet and protective and adorable! But seriously, he hasn't seen Get Smart?!? Emily, you must enlighten him fast!!! :D As usual, the banter and the jokes and Emily's reactions to all the spy stuff were perfect and so fun. And her sometimes-awkward personality just makes her so much more relatable. <3

As for the case itself, I picked up several useful tips, like how to shield a microSD card from receiving signals (glances significantly at my kitchen) and why it's important to know the exact layout of your pockets. XD This one was interesting because a couple of important things were left hanging that don't seem to relate directly to the next case, but that I have a feeling we'll be seeing again in the future... Can't wait for the next case!

Content--slight action-type intensity (e.g. car chases, explosions, and guns drawn); a few mentions of wounds (not graphic)

I received a free copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Ellen Senechal.
Author 1 book76 followers
April 25, 2020
I haven't been so engrossed in a new series in a long time!! I had the first three books read in one afternoon with #4 waiting on my Kindle as I type. I'm loving these adventures with Emily Abbot, Brent, and the ICS. :D Why didn't I discover Perry Kirkpatrick sooner???
"Tutor, Nanny, Spit-Up, Spy," (aka book #4) here I come!
Profile Image for R.A..
Author 32 books87 followers
October 21, 2020
I love how entertaining these books are! They make me not want to put them down anytime! :D This was a good story! It wasn't as wild of a storyline as the first two, but I still really enjoyed it! The characters are the best! I love how Brent keeps telling Emily that she isn't going to help with their jobs anymore, but then it just happens that she does. :P
Profile Image for Morgan Giesbrecht.
Author 2 books194 followers
November 26, 2023
Love, love, love! Emily has a cold. Brent is adorably protective. Zero is amazing. And this book is single-handily responsible for my being able to impress my family with my knowledge of using microwaves as Faraday cages, haha. 😂
Profile Image for Olivia.
701 reviews138 followers
November 10, 2020
What a lark! A cold, escaping into the night, a trailer in the middle of nowhere, and suspicious activity. Brent and Emily always have plenty to pass the time...perfect for me to spend a few minutes enjoying reading about their busy life 😅
Profile Image for Abigail Harris.
Author 52 books263 followers
April 25, 2021
So cool! I just love how perfect these are, the plot is developed so well even with the novella being so short. With fireworks gong off in this mystery super spy story and hints of betrayal, a headache of a cold, and a secret not-lair Bad Things Small Packages odd a hilarious need to read spy novella.
I am now off to read about the next mission, new codenames, babies, and a spit up spy story.
Profile Image for Heather W.
4,068 reviews35 followers
May 28, 2019
What a fun book! This is the first I have read by this author but I definitely want to read more as soon as possible. Brent and Emily have a great relationship going as they try to solve yet another mystery. The codenames are really funny and appropriate. Everything about this book is great!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
Profile Image for Abigail Hawthorne.
193 reviews38 followers
April 16, 2020
Another good book in the series!
Content: Still clean! Minor violence/suspense as usual, but nothing I wouldn't let a kid read!
Profile Image for Bella Raine.
134 reviews39 followers
December 10, 2024
This are so binge-worthy, no content, and I just adore them! 😍 I wish they were like 200k words longer, but am so looking forward to reading the rest! Just so cozy and lovable! 🤩
Profile Image for Claire Banschbach.
Author 7 books203 followers
March 27, 2020
We finally get a hacker in this one and it's glorious. And finally get to the evil conspiracy with more secret organizations! And more Emily humor and teasing. I do really love her as a MC and "accidental" spy. :)
Profile Image for Gera Wilkins.
13 reviews2 followers
July 18, 2022
I have so enjoyed this series! I love the sense of humor, even in the midst of tense situations. Perry has a delightful style of writing! I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the books in this series!
Profile Image for Lydia Willcock.
Author 2 books27 followers
August 8, 2020
This book was one of the best so far. I like how each book follows on directly from the last and ends leaving you with a few hints about the next book--this one especially. Also, I think this was definitely the funniest of the series so far--but also perhaps the most exciting. And I loved the microwave scene! As usual, I can't wait to read the next book!
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