Curse of the Spellmans
by Lisa Lutz
416 pp. Simon & Schuster. $25.00
Reviewed by Lindsay Stotts
When I went to see the spunky and entertaining Lisa Lutz at a book signing promoting “Curse of the Spellmans”, I didn’t know what to expect. But on hearing a quirky screenplay version of a chapter from the book performed by some audience members, I was hooked and decided to try her series. I generally enjoy books that are uncluttered by copious amounts of details and flow in a movie-esque style, and Lisa convinced me that she was an author that spoke to those sensibilities. On top of that, “Curse of the Spellmans” was a comedy and mystery!
So following the signing for this little known treasure of an author, I picked up her first book (“Curse of the Spellmans” is part two in a hopefully long-lived series) “The Spellman Files.” After sailing through that book and being thoroughly entertained by it, I moved right on to her latest novel, “Curse of the Spellmans.”
Izzy Spellman, PI, is at the epicenter of all the drama involving her file-snooping, car-following, information finagling family who all happen to be private investigators too. But for Izzy, being a private investigator is more than just a job, it’s an obsession. So when a new neighbor moves in who seems to have too many locked doors and only vague answers, Izzy’s inner snoop goes into hyperdrive.
Also, Izzy’s best friend and brother are hiding their dirty laundry from the family, creating an insatiable itch in Izzy that needs to be scratched. If that wasn’t enough, Izzy’s younger sister Rae decides to take an almost stalker-like interest in Investigator Henry Stone, Izzy’s “best friend”.
After Izzy’s fourth arrest in three months (yes, I said fourth), she finds herself recounting the events of the last few months to her lawyer in an effort to establish her defense and keep her out of jail. This is the point where we find Izzy at the beginning of “Curse of the Spellmans” as she recounts the twisted and poorly executed (by Izzy, not the author) sequence of events that befell her despite her good intentions.
Lutz easily surpasses her entertaining first book, “The Spellman Files”, taking the story of Izzy and her family to a new level. Her “screenplay” writing style makes this book an effortless read as the dialogue and action flow along. The first person narrative gives unique insight into Izzy’s thoughts and really amplifies the quirkiness of the story, making the novel a joy to read.
Lutz delves even further into the character development in this book, enriching the story line and creating a strong connection between the reader and the characters. An interesting feature of the series is Lutz’s use of footnotes (yes, footnotes!). Although some readers may find this odd or distracting, I found it useful and insightful to the story. The footnotes help clarify things that otherwise may have left the reader scratching their head without bogging down the overall flow of the story.
Last word:
Izzy’s insatiable appetite to uncover the truth behind every secret, along with her blatant disregard for personal safety, property, and the laws of modern civilization make “Curse of the Spellmans” one heck of a page-turner. The characters are charming and lovable, displaying the qualities, both good and bad, that make them easy to relate to. Overall, “Curse of the Spellmans” is a lighthearted and entertaining romp that will have you on the edge of your seat as you wait with baited breath to find out what’s the next knuckle-headed thing Izzy is going to do. Lisa Lutz has written a winner.
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