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thelibrarylady42's review against another edition
3.0
Despite the fact that all the characters are pretty obnoxious I actually really liked this one. I'm not sure what it is about the Spellmans but I enjoy their slightly twisted family dynamic. Maybe it's because I come from a slightly twisted family too...although we've never put 24 hour surveillance on each other, that's just weird. It was a fun read. A slightly less ridiculous mystery than Stephanie Plum. If you are looking for a little more mystery and a little less hijinks then this is for you, not that I don't love some good hijinks, but sometimes they get a little old. The characters are well developed if sometimes really annoying and totally obnoxious. My only complaint was there was a lot of jumping around time wise and I'm not a huge fan of that. By the time we finally got to the mystery it almost got lost in a tidal wave of back story. Mostly enjoyable and will definitely check out the next one.
brobison's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
christiana's review against another edition
4.0
This is a good one! Fans of One for the Money should try this one. I actually liked it better and thought it was funnier. I loved the quirky characters.
billymac1962's review against another edition
DNFing at 39%
It’s not badly written at all, just not what I’m into right now. It’s not hilarious, as per the blurbs, but humorous. Very light fare, and it’s having a hard time keeping me interested, so I’m moving on.
It’s not badly written at all, just not what I’m into right now. It’s not hilarious, as per the blurbs, but humorous. Very light fare, and it’s having a hard time keeping me interested, so I’m moving on.
steph01924's review
5.0
Anything I try to say in this review will pale in comparison to this book. It was clever, laugh-out-loud funny, touching, quirky, eccentric and, simply, awesome.
I had such fun reading The Spellman Files (sometimes it can be a mixed bag when you have a book so full of side notes and indexes that you have to flip around to keep track, but it works in this case), learning about this wacky family of private investigators and a reluctant 'best friend' cop, that I didn't want it to end. The mixture of mediums on the page, with present regular narratives, pauses for backstories, lists/indexes, page notes, and--my favorite--the transcripts of secretly recorded conversations makes this series stand out from others in a really fresh way.
The next few in the series are just as good as this first. The characters are so witty, but the book doesn't come across as being too clever for it's own good. It's kind of like watching Gilmore Girls--I can imagine the conversations going at rapid fire between these intelligent individuals, and it makes you wish you could have that kind of great comeback response time in your own life.
For those of you who just recoiled at the mention of Gilmore Girls (and you're lame, but whatever), please note that these books are NOT like the show in the slightest, except in regards to the fact that someone always has a ready reply, usually drenched in sarcasm.
I can't recommend these books enough!
I had such fun reading The Spellman Files (sometimes it can be a mixed bag when you have a book so full of side notes and indexes that you have to flip around to keep track, but it works in this case), learning about this wacky family of private investigators and a reluctant 'best friend' cop, that I didn't want it to end. The mixture of mediums on the page, with present regular narratives, pauses for backstories, lists/indexes, page notes, and--my favorite--the transcripts of secretly recorded conversations makes this series stand out from others in a really fresh way.
The next few in the series are just as good as this first. The characters are so witty, but the book doesn't come across as being too clever for it's own good. It's kind of like watching Gilmore Girls--I can imagine the conversations going at rapid fire between these intelligent individuals, and it makes you wish you could have that kind of great comeback response time in your own life.
For those of you who just recoiled at the mention of Gilmore Girls (and you're lame, but whatever), please note that these books are NOT like the show in the slightest, except in regards to the fact that someone always has a ready reply, usually drenched in sarcasm.
I can't recommend these books enough!
holmstead's review against another edition
3.0
This was different than what I'm used to reading. I did enjoy it. At times it was redundant, but I appreciated the character building and the overall aspect of the story. The whole family was completely dysfunctional, even down to 14-year-old Rae. But the wars and back and forth surveillance was great! Subtle fun and crazy characters made this a very decent read. I look forward to more of Lutz' work.
debs4jc's review
4.0
Izzy Spellman works for her family's detective agency. That's a bland way to describe her and her family - which is markedly unusual. Trained in surveillance and spy craft from a young age, they regular spy on each other (and any potential significant others) and use blackmail as a way of getting what they want. But they just might learn the value of trusting those closest to them when the youngest member of the family Rae disappears. The question is - was she kidnapped by one of the Spellman's enemies, or is it an elaborate hoax staged by Rae herself? You'll just have to read the book to find out.
I found this an enjoyable read and my book club enjoyed picking this family apart. I'd suggest it for someone looking for a lighthearted diversion with quirky - if somewhat unbelievable at times - characters and plot lines.
I found this an enjoyable read and my book club enjoyed picking this family apart. I'd suggest it for someone looking for a lighthearted diversion with quirky - if somewhat unbelievable at times - characters and plot lines.