Le grand retour des Spellman, détectives privés de père (et mère) en fille(s). Chez eux, savoir écouter aux portes est un talent inné, crocheter le...
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Jul 29, 2008
Indigo Editing/Ink-Filled Page
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“Without a doubt the restraining order put a cramp in my investigation of Subject.”
That’s not how the second in Lisa Lutz’s series on the Spellman family of private investigators starts. No, a lot more happens before thirty-year-old Izzy Spellman is legally restrained from being near her parents’ neighbor/subject of her own personal investigation/boyfriend.
The Spellman parents run a PI firm, and daughters Izzy and Rae help them; Izzy’s been spying since she was twelve and More...
That’s not how the second in Lisa Lutz’s series on the Spellman family of private investigators starts. No, a lot more happens before thirty-year-old Izzy Spellman is legally restrained from being near her parents’ neighbor/subject of her own personal investigation/boyfriend.
The Spellman parents run a PI firm, and daughters Izzy and Rae help them; Izzy’s been spying since she was twelve and More...
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Mar 24, 2008
Jeanne
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Izzy's back! I was so excited to see a sequel to The Spellman Files.
So, we revisit Isabel and the rest of the Spellman family, but they're not as colorful as I remember them. The Spellman parents aren't as nosey, and her younger sister, Rae, is not the little spy she was in the first book. And her perfect brother, David, isn't so perfect anymore. Only Izzy remains in that crazy Spellman zone--ever suspicious of everyone and everything.
And this is where our story begin More...
So, we revisit Isabel and the rest of the Spellman family, but they're not as colorful as I remember them. The Spellman parents aren't as nosey, and her younger sister, Rae, is not the little spy she was in the first book. And her perfect brother, David, isn't so perfect anymore. Only Izzy remains in that crazy Spellman zone--ever suspicious of everyone and everything.
And this is where our story begin More...
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May 30, 2008
RJ
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Warning: Spending time with the Spellman Family is highly addictive and produces uncontrollable bouts of laughter.
Two years have passed since Lisa Lutz’s debut novel introduced the lovably, dysfunctional Spellman Family and mesmerized readers from coast to coast with the kind of snooping, scheming and blackmailing that could only exist between parties who truly care for one another.
We rejoin Isabel Spellman (a.k.a. Izzy), in San Francisco, now thirty years old and once ag More...
Two years have passed since Lisa Lutz’s debut novel introduced the lovably, dysfunctional Spellman Family and mesmerized readers from coast to coast with the kind of snooping, scheming and blackmailing that could only exist between parties who truly care for one another.
We rejoin Isabel Spellman (a.k.a. Izzy), in San Francisco, now thirty years old and once ag More...
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Sep 20, 2011
Dennis
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Lutz has created a lineup of endearing and comical characters in the Spellman family. I enjoyed this follow-up to The Spellman Files that picks up where Isabel and her fellow private investigators left off spying on anyone and everyone in their lives, including neighbors, friends, and of course each other. As in the first book the mystery, in this case surrounding next-door neighbor Subject (John Brown), really seems subordinate to the relational give and take between Isabel, her teenage siste
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Mar 29, 2009
Adrienne
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This series is hilarious! The Spellmans are so screwed up. They are a family of Private Investigators. Isabel Spellman, the 30 year old daughter of the family, is probably the worst. She investigates all her potential ex-boyfriends. She assumes everyone is always lying. She frequently tails her own family. When the man who moves in next door appears to be hiding something, she goes into spy mode.
This is the second in the series, and the third one just came out. Can't wait!
This is the second in the series, and the third one just came out. Can't wait!
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Jan 16, 2009
Lisa
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This is the second in a series. The first book was The Spellman Files and even though they’re each stand alone books I highly recommend reading them in order. Of course, I feel that way about all series books. There’s a third book coming out soon that I plan to read: Revenge of the Spellmans.
I correctly guessed all of the the "mysteries" in this one but it really didn’t matter. This is a very funny and entertaining mystery about a delightfully dysfunctional family. It’s pur More...
I correctly guessed all of the the "mysteries" in this one but it really didn’t matter. This is a very funny and entertaining mystery about a delightfully dysfunctional family. It’s pur More...
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Aug 28, 2011
David
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While I thoroughly enjoyed the humor of this novel, I found it to be so disjointed and oddly organized as to be annoying. The book was chocked full of interesting characters with dysfunctional relationships that offered a good deal of humor but the plot took a backseat to the humor and sadly the humor was the central part of the book. It was funny, but it was far too cutesy. In fact it was so cutesy it came across like an episode of the naked gun. What little mystery there was got resolved in
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Jul 06, 2011
Alli
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Feb 21, 2011
Jkerber1
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The "Curse of the Spellmans" was very similar to "The Spellman Files"- so highly recommended for those who enjoyed the first book, but do not read if you disliked the first book.
Again, this was a quick read which had some really funny parts that made me laugh out loud, although it also had its flaws. Unfortunately, I must say that the conclusion to the mystery was once again disappointing, because the case seemed initially fascinating and exciting, but it turned More...
Again, this was a quick read which had some really funny parts that made me laugh out loud, although it also had its flaws. Unfortunately, I must say that the conclusion to the mystery was once again disappointing, because the case seemed initially fascinating and exciting, but it turned More...
Feb 03, 2011
Paul
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Isabel and her family are back to delight you with another chapter in their dysfuctional lives. I know that if you read, "The Spellman Files", you have been anxiously waiting for this book to come out. If you have not read, "The Spellman Files", you will have to read it first to get the full effect of the second installment of this family of private investigators.
Izzy, God bless her, is trying to be a good PI and looking out for mankind. A new neighbor moves in More...
Izzy, God bless her, is trying to be a good PI and looking out for mankind. A new neighbor moves in More...
Oct 25, 2010
Stacy
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The Curse of the Spellmans is the second book to Lisa Lutz's The Spellmans Series. The book is very unique, for starters, the main character is a 30 year old female who is obsessed with investigations. THe entire family, including Izzy Spellman, is not your average normal family. They are a family of private investigators who are suspicious of everybody including each other. The only member who is not a private investigator is the oldest sibling David, but he seems to be hiding his own secre
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Jun 02, 2010
Elaine
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Izzy and family are back! The dysfunctional family of private investigators is at it again.
I love these books. Lisa Lutz's unique style of writing is mesmerizing. I kept telling myself I was going to read one more section and then go do (fill in the blank.) I ended up finishing the book before I could put it down.
In the first book, Izzy grew up. In the beginning, she was still pretty much a juvenile delinquent, even though she was in her late twenties. In this book, More...
I love these books. Lisa Lutz's unique style of writing is mesmerizing. I kept telling myself I was going to read one more section and then go do (fill in the blank.) I ended up finishing the book before I could put it down.
In the first book, Izzy grew up. In the beginning, she was still pretty much a juvenile delinquent, even though she was in her late twenties. In this book, More...
May 30, 2010
Cindee
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My little mystery group decided to read Lutz's second title in the Spellman series for 2 reasons: 1. We read the first one in the series The Spellman Files and 2. It was in the bargain section. So we like cheap and familiar. Sue me.
That being said, Lisa Lutz is a lunatic with a wild sense of humor and an obsession with footnotes. It was hilarious and mysterious, all at the same time. While I wanted to strangle the youngest Spellman in the first book, I have rather taken a like More...
That being said, Lisa Lutz is a lunatic with a wild sense of humor and an obsession with footnotes. It was hilarious and mysterious, all at the same time. While I wanted to strangle the youngest Spellman in the first book, I have rather taken a like More...
May 21, 2010
Kathy
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Isabel.... is telling the story of the past 4 months to her lawyer (80 years old & retired, but her once a week lunch friend - they have enjoyed each other's company).
the case... is about her new neighbor - whose suspicious behavior won't let her leave him alone... he has her arrested for breaking & entering (he set up a camera to catch her)... he has a restraining order against her (but...she's arrested again)... and she's getting ready to go to court to face the charges... She More...
the case... is about her new neighbor - whose suspicious behavior won't let her leave him alone... he has her arrested for breaking & entering (he set up a camera to catch her)... he has a restraining order against her (but...she's arrested again)... and she's getting ready to go to court to face the charges... She More...
Mar 17, 2010
Cori
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The snarky Spellmans are back and are almost as enjoyable as the first installment of their adventures. I really like the characters Lutz has created. They are funny, sarcastic, caustic, and human. This book focused a little less on Izzy’s parents (they spent a lot of the book “disappearing” — meaning they were on vacation) and more on Izzy’s relationship with her sister Rae, and a family friend, Henry. I sort of missed her parents more than I expected — they are such a good foil to Izzy’s crazi
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Feb 22, 2010
Genie
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This second book featuring the Spellman family continues two years after the “Spellman Files”. A madcap tale of the family of private detectives as told by daughter, Isabel. This PI business, started by the Spellman "parental unit" when Dad retired from police work, employs both eldest daughter Isabel and Rae, a 15-year-old teenager. Brother David is a successful attorney who has nothing to do with the family enterprise.
This story begins as Isabel, who has been sub-leasing an a More...
This story begins as Isabel, who has been sub-leasing an a More...
Feb 14, 2010
David
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Apr 27, 2009
Matt
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Just as in the first book, I come away from this book with an immense desire to be a part of the amazingly dysfunctional distrusting and too-wrapped-up-in-their-own-drama Spellman family. The closest comparison I can draw is still Arrested Development's family issues. There is no way that characters like this could exist in the real world, yet they are provided with such realistic dialogue and motivations that you don't for a second question it mid-story. The joy and excitement of turning each p
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Apr 05, 2009
Christy
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Izzy Spellman works for her parents’ private investigative service, where family members are acting strangely. Izzy’s brother David, a lawyer, has resorted to staying home, watching TV in his pajamas and eating junk food. Her father Albert is sneaking out of the house at all hours, returning with wet hair, while her mom Olivia is sneaking out of the house in early-morning hours and wreaking havoc on a motorbike. Her sister Rae runs over SFPD Inspector Henry Stone, her one and only friend. When a
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Apr 03, 2009
Michael
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Thirty year old PI Izzy Spellman is arrested for the fourth time due to her obsessive investigaion of her next door neighbor. Izzy doesn't have a lot of common sense, when she learns that her neighbor's name is John Brown she immediately assumes that it is an alias and that the neighbor must be up to something.
Her family happens to own Spellman PI Agency and when they refuse to provide bail for her eighty-two year old uncle Mort to defend her. Then, in order to provide a defense, More...
Her family happens to own Spellman PI Agency and when they refuse to provide bail for her eighty-two year old uncle Mort to defend her. Then, in order to provide a defense, More...
Jan 06, 2012
Jennifer
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The Good Stuff
Another wild and wacky tale of the delightfully dysfunctional, yet totally loveable, Spellman family
Would love to take mamma Spellman to some of Jake's parent teachers meeting - she totally rocks
Love how Izzy refers to potential dates as Ex-Boyfriend #?
Don't really have to read the first book in order to understand the plot, it will help and you will love it, but you won't be totally lost if you don't
Gives you a synopsis of the firs More...
Another wild and wacky tale of the delightfully dysfunctional, yet totally loveable, Spellman family
Would love to take mamma Spellman to some of Jake's parent teachers meeting - she totally rocks
Love how Izzy refers to potential dates as Ex-Boyfriend #?
Don't really have to read the first book in order to understand the plot, it will help and you will love it, but you won't be totally lost if you don't
Gives you a synopsis of the firs More...
Mar 31, 2008
Karlan
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Ms Lutz succeeds again with a fast paced, funny book about a family whose private investigator business causes the eldest daughter to obsess about every puzzling act she sees. The new neighbor may be cute, but she has to learn why he locks one room in his apt. The younger sister, teenage Rae, is quickly growing up as a would be detective while also being a teen. Writing humor must be difficult since so few books cause the reader to chuckle aloud as this one does.
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Jan 17, 2011
Gail
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We joyfully reenter the strange and contrary world of Isabel Spellman, private detective and daughter of private detectives. We find that Isabel has moved out of her parents house and seems unable to find a permanent place to call home, leading to some interesting situations. Her sister continues her friendship with the police detective Henry Stone, despite the fact that Rae nearly ran him over. Isabel is asked by her mother to record their conversations to hilarious effect.
Izzy's More...
Izzy's More...
Jan 10, 2010
Vickie
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This is a very good series, especially to listen to. Christina Moore is the perfect narrator for each of the voices, each and every dysfunctional character.
Izzy is on a mission to find out what exactly her new neighbor is up to. She just knows in her gut that he is evil. She continues to surveill him even though each time out leads to her arrest one way or another. She's about to lose her license to be a PI if she doesn't stop.
Izzy is engaged to her cop friend, much to both their d More...
Izzy is on a mission to find out what exactly her new neighbor is up to. She just knows in her gut that he is evil. She continues to surveill him even though each time out leads to her arrest one way or another. She's about to lose her license to be a PI if she doesn't stop.
Izzy is engaged to her cop friend, much to both their d More...
Jan 15, 2009
Karah
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Kelly introduced me to this book and I really liked it! It reminded me of Janet Evanovich books except that the main character is a bit more quirky and seems to lack the actual skills that Stephanie Plum has.
The book is set in California in the midst of a functioning dysfunctional family. The main character, Isabel, is constantly finding herself in trouble for being suspicious of most everyone in her life. I loved the interactions of Isabel, her sister (Rae), her parents, brothe More...
The book is set in California in the midst of a functioning dysfunctional family. The main character, Isabel, is constantly finding herself in trouble for being suspicious of most everyone in her life. I loved the interactions of Isabel, her sister (Rae), her parents, brothe More...
Jul 26, 2011
This book is another wonderful romp through this frenetic family's exploits through their detective agency. I plowed through this easy-to-read story in one day, enjoying it immensely. First, it was a delightful read for me, especially because I read it following a very deep and complicated book. Secondly, it was just a FUN read. After having read the first in Lutz's Spellman Detective Agency books last year, I was reminded of my favorite series from my childhood, the "Harriett the Spy"
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Jun 20, 2009
Laren
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The Spellman family of detectives is back in this hilarious sequel to "The Spellman Files" ("now available in paperback!" as the footnotes keep reminding us). Our protagonist is daughter Izzie who keeps getting arrested as she tries to figure out what her secretive new neighbor is hiding. Simultaneously she is trying to solve the mysteries of her parent's recent odd behavior, her older brother's sudden personality change, why her best friend is avoiding her calls, all while
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Feb 21, 2011
Wanda
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I learned a very important lesson reading this book - it was not made for ereaders! LOL...the thing I love most about the Spellman books is the cute and hilarious footnotes....the experience is just not the same without them...and on a digital version the footnotes are all at the end of the book, not at the bottom of the page they appear on. It is just too time consuming to jump back and forth, and honestly it takes away from the spontenaity the footnotes bring to the story.
However, More...
However, More...
Oct 03, 2011
Kai
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I found the Curse of the Spellmans hilarious for a family of private investigators. Izzy Spellman worked for her parents' Private Investigator company in San Francisco. The story started out with Izzy calling her mom to bail her out of jail. Unfortunately, her mom refused to bail Izzy out of jail. Instead, Morty, her defense attorney bailed Izzy out. Now the story began of why Izzy was in jail in the first place.
Izzy noticed that her parents, little sister Rae, and older brother D More...
Izzy noticed that her parents, little sister Rae, and older brother D More...
May 03, 2009
Tom
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Curse of the Spellmans
By Lisa Lutz
The brief testimonials which are included on the book jackets or paperback covers can tell a reader a lot about the book. If the blurb is from a well-respected author such as Scott Turow or Tom Wolfe or even from an established book critic like Jonathan Yardley or Michael Dirda from the Washington Post there is bound to be some credibility to the book. When the quotes (in the case of this book) come from “People” magazine, “Entertainment Wee More...
By Lisa Lutz
The brief testimonials which are included on the book jackets or paperback covers can tell a reader a lot about the book. If the blurb is from a well-respected author such as Scott Turow or Tom Wolfe or even from an established book critic like Jonathan Yardley or Michael Dirda from the Washington Post there is bound to be some credibility to the book. When the quotes (in the case of this book) come from “People” magazine, “Entertainment Wee More...
