The Spellmans are a quirky, yet loveable detective family, whose antics are amusing and very readable. This second book by Lisa Lutz is just as enjoyable as the first.
The Spellman novels are a refreshing change from the formulaic books offered by a number of recent bestselling authors. The tone is crisp and not-so-vaguely sarcastic, but at the heart of the story is a family that however-flawed loves each other. The latest edition, Curse of the Spellmans, published in March of 2008, is a delight to read, the kind of book that will make you laugh out loud.
The Spellmans
The Spellman family consists of the mother, who has been taking midnight jaunts across town; the father, who has been sneaking off to the gym lately; David, the grown brother who seems not to leave his home ever since his wife (who is also Isabel's childhood friend) left him; Isabel, the 30-something rebel of the family, part-time private investigator, and narrator of the story; and Rae, the youngest and perhaps the most insightful. All except David are included in one way or another in the family detective business, which seems to make money in spite of itself.
The Stone and Spellman Show
Fifteen-year-old Rae has developed a weird (but not unwholesome) friendship with 30-something police detective Henry Stone. He helps her with her homework and she follows along behind him like a love-struck puppy. To keep the child services people away, the family has created the story that Henry is Isabel's fiance, a story which might not be as fanciful as it first seems.
Tracking Subject
The Curse of the Spellmans begins with Isabel being arrested for the fourth time in six months (she claims the middle two don't count). After being bailed out be her octogenarian lawyer/friend, Morty, she begins to recount for him, over pastrami sandwiches, the events that led her to this point. Always curious, she has become obsessed with her parents' new neighbor, a man that calls himself John Brown, but whom Isabel calls "subject" because she is convinced that John Brown is an alias. His locked office and frequent meetings with a variety of women have made her certain that he is up to no good. Unfortunately, she got caught violating his restraining order against her in the process.
Curse of the Spellmans has a unique, irreverent tone, reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen novels and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. The story is told by Isabel, with lots of footnotes to bring readers that may have missed the first novel ("The Spellmans") up to date on the family's many quirks and adventures, such as why the group calls a vacation a "disappearance" and a disappearance, a "vacation."
Lisa Lutz's style is unlike any author selling mystery books today and that in itself makes the book worth reading. That her characters are amusing and loveable is an added bonus.
About Lisa Lutz
Lisa Lutz is the author of two Spellman novels. A California native, she attended three California colleges as well as the University of Leeds in England. Her first novel, The Spellmans, is currently being adapted as a movie.
