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The Spellman Files (The Spellmans #1)

by Lisa Lutz (Goodreads Author)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 15,927 ratings · 2,289 reviews

Meet Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors -- but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family'...more

Unabridged Audio CD, Abridged, 0 pages

Published March 11th 2008 by Recorded Books (first published March 13th 2007)

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Aug 10, 2007 LJ rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, private_investigator, humor, no_cal_sf_bayarea, contemporary_post_1945, female_author

THE SPELLMAN FILES (Private Investigator, Izzy Spellman, San Francisco, Cont) – Poor
Lutz, Lisa – 1st book
Simon and Schuster, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9781415432392
First Sentence: I duck into the parking garage hoping to escape.
*** Izzy Spellman is a private investigator from a family of private investigators. Her parents sent Izzy and her brother David out on their first official surveillance when they were 12- and 14-years old respectively. Izzy eventually decides to quit the family business...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller-crime-suspense, favorites, book-list-2010

This is the first book in the Spellman Series and I absolutely loved it. I found it refreshing and funny and although the Spellman family is bizarre, weird and bordering on completely insane, I simply adored this dysfunctional family.

Isabel, who is the main protagonist and tells the story from a first person narrative, is such a great character. She's strong, feisty and a teeny bit nuts. Brought into the family business, a private detective agency, and the life of a PI at the age of twelve meant...more This is the first book in the Spellman Series and I absolutely loved it. I found it refreshing and funny and although the Spellman family is bizarre, weird and bordering on completely insane, I simply adored this dysfunctional family.

Isabel, who is the main protagonist and tells the story from a first person narrative, is such a great character. She's strong, feisty and a teeny bit nuts. Brought into the family business, a private detective agency, and the life of a PI at the age of twelve meant that Isabel's teenage years were far from normal. She didn't help the matter by becoming a delinquent, and, with the help of her best friend Petra, causing complete havoc. From knocking over garbage bins on bin night and being hauled down to the police station, at the embarrassment of her father, who used to be a police inspector, to re-landscaping a neighbours back garden with a pair of garden scissors.

Isabel rebels against her family, and this is in part a coming of age story, and although most of it is told in a series of flashbacks by Izzy, aged twenty eight, it really gives you an insight into her past and that which molded her into the person she is today. Izzy is also the complete opposite to her perfect, grade-A student brother, David, and so thinks that to keep the equilibrium, she has to be at the other end of the spectrum: not so perfect and a complete pain in the arse. Isabel's sister, Rae, is also a fantastic character. With witty retorts and an edge to her personality beyond her twelve years, Rae is funny and endearing.

Isabel is a very smart cookie, although sometimes she has a skewed outlook on life, like lying to the new man in her life, Daniel, by pretending to be a teacher. From changing the way she dresses to more 'teacher-like' and rushing to a school to intercept him, when he is popping by to take her to lunch. Izzy knows this is not the best way to impress her new man, but thinks it's better than the alternative... knowing that she is a PI and worse, meeting her family.

The writing is very clever and flows well. At times it is so fast-paced I could barely keep up. The story is great and gets even better with the introduction of the Snow Case and the mysterious disappearance of a boy called Andrew Snow. We then got to see Isabel doing her job: sleuthing. But when she decides that her family and her job are interfering with her having a 'normal' life, madness ensues. The Spellman's follow each other, bug one another's rooms, listens in on each other's phone calls and interrogates each other, which ends the story on a climax that's satisfying and part of which is also rather sad.

Isabel is a quirky character but immensely likable, as were the other characters in the book, even David, who could be a pompous arse at times. To have Isabel as a friend would be a riot and life would definitely not be boring.

Verdict:

The Spellman Files is a fantastically fun and light-hearted read, but by no means fluffy. There is substance here and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The Spellman's Curse, and finding out what other mischief Isabel and her family can get themselves into.

I gave this 9/10 on my blog as Goodreads still doesn't offer half stars.(less)

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Feb 20, 2008 Silver rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Beach read.
Funny read.
I-want-to-be-this-character read.

Lisa Lutz, if you ever read this, please don't take it the wrong way. By beach read I mean that I was completely entertained, laughed out loud a couple of times, and didn't want to move while I read it. Your book sucked me in and kept me there. When I had to put it down, the story and characters stayed with me enough so it was easy to pick back up. Izzy Spellman reminded me of Thursday Next ( The Eyre Affair) and Jane Charlotte ( Bad Monk ...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Ilona Andrews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

A deeply hilarious book about Isabel Spellman, a PI in San Francisco, who works for her parents' firm. The entire Spellman family is deeply weird but strangely functional. I loved it, the whole thing: the quirky anecdotes about the family, the list of ex-boyfriends, the younger sister addicted to surveillance.

One small warning: before you read this book, take the concept of plot, put it in a drawer in a closet, and don't come back to it until you are done. It is a non-linear book, and it doesn't...more

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May 30, 2008 RJ McGill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Lisa Lutz’s first novel, “The Spellman Files,” introduces readers to the lovable, albeit highly dysfunctional Spellman family. Be prepared to adore this zany cast of characters, that will butt their way right into your heart and have you laughing a long the way. A strong female protagonist with a meddling family may, at first glance, seem a bit blase’, but don’t be fooled, the writing, narrative and perspective work together like a well oiled machine generating the ideal reading experience…

Secre...more Lisa Lutz’s first novel, “The Spellman Files,” introduces readers to the lovable, albeit highly dysfunctional Spellman family. Be prepared to adore this zany cast of characters, that will butt their way right into your heart and have you laughing a long the way. A strong female protagonist with a meddling family may, at first glance, seem a bit blase’, but don’t be fooled, the writing, narrative and perspective work together like a well oiled machine generating the ideal reading experience…

Secrets, scheming and sneaking are all part in parcel of a good days work for a private investigator. Albert and Olivia Spellman have been spying on people for a living since shortly after they wed and their three children have been immersed in this environment all their lives. Even though David, the Spellman’s oldest son, left the family business to pursue a career in law, he can’t avoid occasionally being lured into one of his parents schemes. The youngest daughter, Rae, has been honing her spy skills from the tender age of six, when she convinced her parents to allow her to tag along during surveillance operations. Now a mischievous teenager, she utilizes this unique knowledge to conduct “personal surveillance,” on her friends.

Isabel, 28, is the stereo-typical middle child still trying to rebuild the bridge of trust destroyed during her rebellious teens. A sure-footed investigator, with sound judgement, when it comes to business; however, the same cannot be said for her choices in men. Criticized by her perfect older brother, emulated by her younger sister and hounded by her parents, Izzy’s life borders on the edge of insanity, which she desperately wants to escape.

Sharp-tongued, Izzy Spellman has even reduced her failing love life to a list of wise-cracking facts- name, age, relationship length and ‘famous last words.’ Izzy discovers potential ‘ex-boyfriend #9′ while working the case of Daniel Castillo. Izzy is quite smitten with the Guatemalan dentist and knows the importance of keeping her family in the dark about her new love interest. And in a family of snoops that’s impossible! When she discovers her parents have Rae following her, it is the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back and Izzy quits.

Of course, this hard-nosed, scheming family isn’t going to just wither-up and go away, so they offer Izzy a deal…solve this one last case and she is free of her contract. Catch? Oh certainly- there’s a big catch…The case they choose is that of a missing teen from Marin County that disappeared near Lake Tahoe some twelve years ago. Izzy hoped her grit and determination would light a fire under this cold case and thus dissolve the contract that had held her hostage in the family business. So she literally throws herself into this decade old case. However, while digging into the unsolved case, her little sister, Rae goes missing. She seems to have vanished into thin air and although Izzy and Rae bicker, as do all sisters, she loves the nosey little hellian and will stop at nothing to find her.

Sassy, witty and loaded with sarcasm, this fast-paced story swirls around the outrageously dysfunctional Spellman Family. Even in a house where it’s normal to find triple locks on bedroom doors, the Spellman’s hide their fair share of secrets. Lisa Lutz’s debut novel, “The Spellman Files” explores the inner workings of the family dynamic, from Izzy’s perspective. Revealing how just below the surface stuff… the snooping, scheming and wire taps, there’s a deep, heart-felt sentiment. Cleverly layered throughout the story is that familiar ”something” we can all recognize…that “thing” bonds and unites families despite all the shortcomings and misunderstandings. “The Spellman Files: A Novel” is an entertaining read that unfolds with deliberate precision. Kick and crunch action is followed by off-the-wall, whip-smart punch lines that will have you laughing out loud more than once. Original, kooky and delightfully dysfunctional, Lisa Lutz gives readers a fresh new way to enjoy comedic crime novels. And readers can rejoice, there’s more zaniness to follow. So get acquainted with the Spellman’s and settle in for a truly enjoyable series.

Happy Reading!

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Jun 04, 2012 Lormac rated it 3 of 5 stars

In The Spellman Files, Isabel Spellman is the 28 year old daughter of two private detectives, the niece of a private detective, and has gone into the family business from a purported lack of any other skills.

There are a number of series about young women detectives - Kinsey Milhone and Stephanie Plum spring to mind (Yes, yes, Steph is a bounty hunter, not a private detective, what's your point?) Isabel Spellman is clearly designed to fit right into this genre. Wacky family? Check! Boyfriend prob...more In The Spellman Files, Isabel Spellman is the 28 year old daughter of two private detectives, the niece of a private detective, and has gone into the family business from a purported lack of any other skills.

There are a number of series about young women detectives - Kinsey Milhone and Stephanie Plum spring to mind (Yes, yes, Steph is a bounty hunter, not a private detective, what's your point?) Isabel Spellman is clearly designed to fit right into this genre. Wacky family? Check! Boyfriend problems? Check! Sarcastic sense of humor? Check! Nothing edible in the fridge? Check!

Now, I have only read the first book in the series, but judging from this book Spellman is closer to the Plum side of the range but with an actual attempt to involve a real mystery in the wacky goings-on. The mystery is, admittedly, fairly weak, but a little stronger than the average Plum head-scratcher.

The problem I had with this book is that the family dysfunction is actually sad, not funny. Mom and Pop Spellman can't seem to leave the business behind at the end of the day, and this has fostered a unshakable paranoia in each of their three children. Is it funny that each kid needs to install three deadbolts on their bedroom door so their parents don't snoop, or that Mom and Pop trail them when they have a date, or that Mom and Pop bug their room? The kids don't trust each other either and the author seems to think it is funny that the kids routinely bribe each other with cash payments not to tell their parents or each other who they are dating. Isabel states occasionally that this is the way their family shows their love for each other, but...um...really? Like I said, a little sad.

And QUASI-SPOILER ALERT.. What happens to Uncle Ray? Well it's really sad. Not something I expect in a light-heartedly romp.

At the end of this book, things seem to have improved family-wise, somewhat, and lessons seem to have been learned by everyone, so I will continue on to the next Spellman saga and see if this is true, but I expect that there will need to be some back-sliding in order to provide convenient plot devices. (less)

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Jun 01, 2011 Dennis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Every once in a great while I stumble across a writer who just gets it, one who possesses The Humor – that elusive knack for expressing razor-sharp wit by fusing language and wordplay with insight into human nature and the ironies surfacing in relational complexity. Lisa Lutz looms large in this category. This opening entry in her series about the Spellman family introduces a spirited line-up of family members whose San Francisco private investigation business facilitates honing inquiry skills o...more Every once in a great while I stumble across a writer who just gets it, one who possesses The Humor – that elusive knack for expressing razor-sharp wit by fusing language and wordplay with insight into human nature and the ironies surfacing in relational complexity. Lisa Lutz looms large in this category. This opening entry in her series about the Spellman family introduces a spirited line-up of family members whose San Francisco private investigation business facilitates honing inquiry skills on each other through surveillance, background checks, and tough negotiations over everything down to the most mundane of household conflicts.

Rebellious Isabel suffers from second-child syndrome (I know something about that...), which is manifested through years of drug use, underwhelming academic performance, and a relatively directionless approach to life and career, especially when contrasted with the successes of her “perfect” older brother David who is a Berkeley- and Stanford-educated attorney. Their accidental baby sister Rae is named after her Uncle Ray who often lives in the family home, but who also frequents bars when not out carousing with ladies of the night or disappearing for days until finally tracked down debauching in casinos and seedy motels. Rae is a precocious and difficult pre-teen, but also demonstrates a quirky sense of loyalty. She quickly acquires tools for surviving in this family comprised of individuals adept at gathering intelligence and using it to their own advantage.

The Spellman Files focuses principally on the characters, but a secondary story unfolds about an unresolved disappearance case. Other readers may be seeking a more plot-driven narrative, but far more interesting to me are the people and their interactions, their back stories, and the humor generated through the author's astute and clever observations. This book is at least as much about the Spellmans as it is a whodunit, and that strikes just the right balance for a mystery novel in a genre I find to be otherwise humdrum.

The chapters often bear a structure resembling private investigation files wherein Isabel catalogs detailed lists of information and documents transcripts of conversations as though she is filling out investigative reports. My favorite storyline is Isabel's relationship with Future Ex-Boyfriend #9, Guatemala-born dentist Daniel Castillo DDS, with whom she shares a common interest in the 1960s crime series Get Smart. (I love that Isabel's parents share a strong distaste for and suspicion of dentists and prefer that their daughter date lawyers.) Their differences, however, reflect in Daniel's childhood dream of working for CONTROL, the American counter-espionage agency, whereas Isabel's lifelong fantasy is working for its nemesis, KAOS.* This coupling's future is precarious at best.

From start to finish, Lutz demonstrates a quick-witted humor and intelligence that immediately drew me in and captivated my attention all throughout. This fantastic initial entry into the Spellman series has me convinced to continue on, and with anticipation I look forward to reading more.

* The International Organization of Evil.(less)

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Feb 19, 2012 Nadine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

Newsflash: boring title conceals highly entertaining book!!! Thanks to Amy for giving it a rave review and piquing my interest :-)

*

I started out loving this book, but then ... not so much. It begins with lots of really fun character set-up, then there is a whiff of a plot, then there is more set-up, and then ... more set-up and more set-up. Finally there is a plot! The mystery was mildly interesting, but by that point I pretty much hated everyone in the book. There is dysfunctional and then ther...more

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Aug 19, 2010 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, crime-police-mystery-private-invest, series, crazy-family, read-2010

Well, I can honestly say that I have never read anything quite like this. This family was insane! Hilarious for us, but quite dysfunctional.

Pretty much everyone in the family, except the odd man out, David, works as a private investigator for the family company. Privacy is an alien concept to the Spellmans. To keep information to yourself in this family you'll need to lie, dodge tails, and constantly check for bugs. It's an interesting lifestyle, but it's getting exhausting for Izzy.

Izzy had a...more

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Oct 30, 2008 Lisa Vegan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: those who enjoy light mysteries, dysfunctional families & black humor

Shelves: mystery, reviewed, fiction, novel, san-francisco, gr-author, favorites, humor, altta

The Spellmans are one of the most unconventional dysfunctional families ever in a book, and they are hilarious. They are outrageous and over the top and have very peculiar ways of showing love. This delightful book is really, really funny, if you have a weird sense of humor, which I guess I do. It is interesting that what I’d consider disturbing and child abuse in real life can, in a book, cause me to feel affection for all of the characters and send me into frequent peals of laughter.

The friend...more

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Feb 27, 2008 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hilarious! I literally laughed out loud at least five times.

I knew nothing about this book when I picked it off the shelf as one of the local library's "Reader's Choice" books. I was pleasantly surprised about the subject matter: a family-owned private investigation business featuring a second child whose life is pretty average in almost every way.

I really enjoyed Lutz's writing style (very witty), and I especially appreciated that the "heroine" was hardly someone that I wanted to model my life...more

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Apr 18, 2008 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read several reviews that sang the praises of this book from first time novelist, Lisa Lutz. They were right, it was really fun. I polished it off in one sitting last night and I really hope there's a sequel.

The main character is Isabel (Izzy) Spellman whose family owns a PI firm. Her older brother is perfect, her younger sister is incredibly manipulative and literal and her parents constantly invade her private life. Actually, everyone in the Spellman family seems to be in everyone else's...more

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May 02, 2013 Lynda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

What would your life be like if you grew up in a family of private detectives? For Izzy Spellman it was no picnic. Izzy takes us on a journey through her childhood (filled with Law and Order like interrogations about turning her perfect brothers school uniform pink, to learning how to chase cars)to her rebellious teens to her present day adult life. The main through line of the plot being her missing little sister.

Quirky, I think would be the best word to describe this book. It was definitely f...more

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Oct 03, 2007 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Betsy lent me this one because she knows I love private dicks. The private dickery definitely made the thinly-veiled chick-lit more palatable, though I didn't find it to be a particularly great mystery (I figured it out ages before the end). I read the ARE, so it's possible they fixed some stuff before publishing, but there was a structural conceit of the book that I didn't like at ALL and I wish they'd axed. I think it was interesting that the only romantic relationship that the lead character...more

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Oct 02, 2007 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Laura

Shelves: variousfemaleauthors

This was a funny book. I was intrigued with the family dynamics, its like some horrible accident you don't want to view, but can't help looking. For me, it was like the really dark side of a Janet Evanovich story. Normally when a book is so laden with character development with only a side of plot, I don't really appreciate the story as much. However, this author carries it off, based solely on the fact that her book family is virgin territory (that is to say, hasn't been overdone to death).
I w...more

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Jul 15, 2008 Christa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library

This book was humorous and quick to read. Isabella Spellman, former juevenile deliquent, now a twenty-eight year old single female who still lives at home and works for her parents, is part of an eccentric family of private investigators. This book, which is the first in a series, introduces Isabella and gives background on her family, her mischievous teenage years , her past romantic entaglements, and her carrer as a private investigator. The book is written in the first person, and most of the...more

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Jun 12, 2007 Laren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

Is it a mystery? Is it a humorous novel? Well, it's both, and both are thoroughly entertaining. The narrator tells of growing up in a family of private detectives and the humorous dysfunction that results. When she tries to break free of the family business, they ask her to solve one last case. In the meantime, she tries to date (difficult due to her family's background checks and date tailing that ensue), and figure out exactly what it is that she wants to be doing with her life. I found this b...more

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Mar 28, 2009 fragaria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Buku ini menceritakan keluarga Spellman yang membuka kantor detektif swasta. Tokoh utamanya Isabel Spellman (28 tahun). Suatu saat, setelah Isabel menjalin hubungan dengan Daniel Castillo, Isabel ingin berhenti bekerja untuk keluarganya, dia ingin melakukan pekerjaan yang normal saja. Ternyata hal ini tidak semudah yang dia duga. Selain satu tugas terakhir yang diberikan orang tuanya (sebagai syarat kalau dia mau berhenti jadi detektif), masih ada hal-hal lain yang membebaninya. Masalah dengan p...more

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Jan 31, 2009 Cindy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 999, mysteries, blog

In the Spellman family, it's perfectly normal to be suspicious of everyone. Privacy is nonexistent. Trust no one.

Unsurprisingly, this attitude has profound consequences for the relationships in the family. David is a perfect child, and as a very smart guy takes the first chance he can to get out of the house. Izzy is the wild child, but her rebellion stops short of actually moving away. And Rae grows up thinking everything is a matter for negotiation and expects to be paid for taking a shower.

Th...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Kathleen Hagen added it

Shelves: 2007-audio-books, 2007-mysteries

The Spellman Files, by Lisa Lutz. B-plus.
Downloaded from audible.com.
This is a rather strange book. I don’t know if it’s going to be a series or not. The Spellmans are a family wholly engaged in private detecting. Mr. and Mrs. Spellman met doing private detective work and got married and started their own business. Mr. Spellman, and his brother Ray, had both been cops for 20 years previous to his starting the business. The three children, including our protagonist, Isabelle Spellman, helped with...more

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Dec 29, 2008 Roos rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novelia, girlthings

Tidak tahu kenapa saya suka sekali buku ini yah. Entahlah, tapi pertama kali terpesona dengan covernya yang attractive ( cover depan dan belakang lho ). Kemudian judul Files-nya ini yang bikin penasaran sepertinya ceritanya akan penuh dengan penyelidikan-penyelidikan yang menegangkan, banyak kasus-kasus tak teerpecahkan begitu (dalam bayangan saya sih), kemudian baca Prolog yang seru pakai acara kejar-kejaran dengan mobil dan memasuki bagian satu, saya mendapati seorang Isabel Spellman yang tern...more

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Feb 24, 2008 Jami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: funniest-books-ever, total-faves

I grabbed this book from the Readers' Choice section of the library on a whim. I read it in two days because I couldn't put it down. I loved it! The story, plot, characters, and style of the book were all very unique and funny, and I can't wait to read more from this author. Her next book in the series comes out in March.

Overall, I think the author is extremely talented and quick-witted. There aren't many book where I find myself laughing out loud, but this was definitely one of them.

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Mar 20, 2013 Tea Jovanović rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: editor-of-serbian-edition

Zauvek cu pamtiti kako me je ova knjiga "kupila" kao urednika :) Dobila sam od njenog agenta rukopis knjige mesecima pre nego sto je objavljena... odstampala sam je i ponela papire sa sobom na Sajam knjiga u London da citam usput... Te godine sajam je bio izmesten na Doklends i gotovo sat vremena putovali smo metroom od hotela do sajma i obrnuto... I ja sam vukla papire sa sobom, citala, cerebecila se i svaki cas cimala za rukav vlasnika Lagune i prepricavala mu urnebesne scene iz teksta... posl...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Harold Ogle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: detective, fun-characters, humor, police-procedural

I have a compulsive habit. OK, really I have several. But the one I mean to talk about it books: I can't pass up an opportunity to pick up some books that look interesting. I've managed to save some money for my family by switching by compulsion back to libraries in recent years, but it's still out of control. I go to return some stuff to the library - any library, you pick - and I tell myself "OK, I'm just going to return the stuff I have here. I'm NOT going to get anything else until I finish...more I have a compulsive habit. OK, really I have several. But the one I mean to talk about it books: I can't pass up an opportunity to pick up some books that look interesting. I've managed to save some money for my family by switching by compulsion back to libraries in recent years, but it's still out of control. I go to return some stuff to the library - any library, you pick - and I tell myself "OK, I'm just going to return the stuff I have here. I'm NOT going to get anything else until I finish the pile I have waiting for me at home." Then I go into the library and BAM! fifteen minutes later and I emerge with another stack I can barely carry.

One such trip resulted in my grabbing The Spellman Files. Really, libraries are great ways to discover books that you wouldn't find any other way, even using Goodreads (which, by its social nature, tends to result in self-selecting people with similar reading interests). At a library, I can (and have) find completely random titles I wouldn't have found any other way, short of stopping strangers on the street and asking them what book they're reading (don't try that - it turns out that it doesn't work well).

The Spellman Files engaged me from the get-go, aided no doubt by my experience of the lackluster, hum-drum book that I had just finished before it. The book is essentially a Wes Anderson film, filled with a family of quirky characters with humorously skewed views on life and relationships. This family - the Spellmans of the title - are compulsive snoops who've carved a livelihood for themselves as private investigators. The problem is that they can never turn it off, and so they are inherently suspicious of everyone and everything.

I found the book to be very satisfyingly funny, and the narrator's voice was so endearing that I found The Spellman Files hard to put down to attend to other things. The narrator is Isabel ("Issy") Spellman, the younger child with an inferiority complex, who has spent her life trying to distinguish herself from her perfect older brother by being as rebellious and delinquent as possible...until her younger sister, Rae, is born and grows to idolize Izzy. So Izzy is torn between living her adult life as a surly teenager and trying to help Rae have a responsible and safe childhood. The framing device of the book is an interrogation, as a police inspector interviews Izzy about her family to assist in a case that has gone out of the Spellman family's control.

The book is set in San Francisco specifically and northern California in particular, which was a nice touch for me as I felt I could relate to the locations in addition to appreciating everything else. I haven't read the Stephanie Plum novels (yet), so take it with a chunk of salt when I say this book would fit well with fans of that series.
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Dec 11, 2012 Book Concierge rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Audio book performed by Ari Graynor

Isabel Spellman is 28 years old and has always worked for her family business – Spellman Investigations. Having been trained by her parents and uncle since she was in middle school, she’s reasonably good at ferreting out the “dirt” on just about anyone, but she’s feeling rather rebellious these days. She’s met a guy she really likes and when her parents start following her and paying her little sister, Rae, to help with the surveillance, Izzy figures it’s time...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Christopher rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The private eye sub-genre is probably my favorite, but I am by no means a snob about it. I didn't go into this expecting something that would go toe-to-toe with Chandler. In fact, this was recommended to me as something light, funny, and brisk. I'm a big fan of the TV show Veronica Mars and I thought it might have that sort of tone to it (maybe skewing a little younger). I was actually pretty shocked to be so disappointed by it.

The set-up is interesting. I liked the non-linear storytelling and t...more The private eye sub-genre is probably my favorite, but I am by no means a snob about it. I didn't go into this expecting something that would go toe-to-toe with Chandler. In fact, this was recommended to me as something light, funny, and brisk. I'm a big fan of the TV show Veronica Mars and I thought it might have that sort of tone to it (maybe skewing a little younger). I was actually pretty shocked to be so disappointed by it.

The set-up is interesting. I liked the non-linear storytelling and the way exposition was laid out in a case file format. The characters were compelling and quirky (and they seemed to be genuinely so, not in a forced, obligatory way). I kept waiting for the actual plot to kick-in and wow... it just never does.

The non-linear format is abandoned fairly early on. Well, that's not entirely true. The mechanic is still employed very briefly up until the final act, but it becomes clear that the author is not going to do anything clever or meaningful with it.

My biggest complaint is that this story has no thrust. No momentum. It's disorganized, repetitive, and meandering. The central mystery isn't introduced until more than halfway through and the resolution of it is so abrupt, tidy, and unsatisfying that it feels like the author herself got bored with it. Our main character has zero impact on that case or the people involved in it. The whole thing just left me wondering what the point of it was.

I thought maybe we'd learn that her parents had given it to her knowing exactly how it would end and the whole thing would be some giant life lesson that tied into their family drama. Nope. It was just a disposable plot line that was seemingly included just to pad out the number of pages.

Honestly, I didn't think this was very funny either. There are a handful of decent one-liners, but all of these characters talk the same. They're also "sitcom funny". It feels a little forced. Like the author is trying REALLY hard to be witty. Also, and this is a minor complaint, but a lot of the characters have similar names and I often found trying to remember if she was talking to the boyfriend, the uncle, etc.

Again, I really like this premise and maybe this series gets better as it goes on - but a mystery without any energy, urgency, or tension is sort of unforgivable. (less)

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May 14, 2012 Pr Latta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: better-in-audio, chicklit, families, first-person, good-for-teens, humor, lawyers, mystery, red-flag, sense-of-place, series, strong-women

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. [audio] First in a series, this is a fun, breezy, wacky family bit of entertainment. Isabel (Izzy) Spellman is being interviewed by Lieutenant Stone about the disappearance of her younger sister Rae, so she tells the story of her family, her totally dysfunctional family, whose business is conducting private investigations and how that shapes the three children, former bad girl Izzy, fourteen years younger Rae, and older brother straight arrow lawyer David. Izzy is trying to break free of her par...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Al Gritten rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I read this book in two sittings. Lutz's characters are excellent and the way she interweaves the various plot threads makes it a great read. It was a bit predictable in a couple of places, but her ability to create amazingly intricate characters overcomes any shortcomings in the plot (and those were few). This is not your typical whodunit, but is really character studies wrapped in investigative work. The Spellmans are at once intriguing and comical, fascinating and frustrating, and it is...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Miz Lizzie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, families, mystery, realistic-fiction, romance, secrets, series, siblings, usa, young-adult

Twenty-eight-year-old Izzy Spellman, her perfect older brother David, and her fourteen-year-old kid sister Rae are private investigators by birth. Raised in their parents' private investigation firm, they have all been doing background checks and tailing since they were children. David may have escaped to be lawyer but Rae took to it like a duck to water. Izzy, once the problem child of the family, is striving to find some semblance of normality in her life -- a difficult task when it is standar...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Aliya Parvez rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am listening to The Spellman Files in my car and am thoroughly enjoying it. It has wit, humor and a nice flow.Story is about a family of investigators which includes the father, the mother, and their two daughters aged 28 and 14 who are borderline delinquents. The have a perfect son who is a lawyer and runs his own business. The story is narrated by the older daughter who cannot keep a boyfriend because of her eccentricities, but those are exactly what makes the book so enjoyable.

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Ask Lisa Lutz!: Ask Lisa about The Spellmans	32	214	Dec 30, 2012 02:21am
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finished this one...may look for next in the series	1	26	Aug 20, 2008 08:55am

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About Lisa Lutz

Lisa Lutz grew up in Southern California. After graduating high school, she attended UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, University of Leeds in England and San Francisco State University, although she still does not have a bachelor's degree.

Lisa spent most of the 1990s hopping from a string of low-paying odd jobs while writing and rewriting a mob comedy called Plan B. After it was made in 2000, Lisa vowed s...more

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Books by Lisa Lutz

Revenge of the Spellmans (The Spellmans, #3)

Curse of the Spellmans (The Spellmans, #2)

The Spellmans Strike Again (The Spellmans, #4)

Trail of the Spellmans (The Spellmans, #5)

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“I have a weakness for tough guys who read." - Izzy Spellman” — 54 people liked it

“My father insisted that the boys in my life were directly responsible for my juvenile-delinquent tendencies.
My mother, more accurately, assumed that I was the bad influence.” — 33 people liked it

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