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Isabele Spellman “Izzy” is the lead in the Spellmans Series by Lisa Lutz. Isabele makes her first appearance in “The Spellman Files” the first novel in the series first published in 2007. The series of novels are in the investigative genre.
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Order of Izzy Spellman Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Spellman Files | 2007 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Curse of the Spellmans | 2008 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Revenge of the Spellmans | 2009 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Spellmans Strike Again | 2010 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Trail of the Spellmans | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | The Last Word / The Next Generation | 2013 | Description / Buy |
The Isabele Spellman series follows the Spellman family of private investigators that spend most of their time finding out what the other members are up to. While they are very suspicious of each other they are still a close-knit family. Isabele is introduced as a 28-year-old private investigator working for the private investigations firm founded by her parents in San Francisco, California.
In the first novel of the series “The Spellman Files”, the twenty-eight-year-old Isabele Spellman is introduced as a woman with a past filled with creative vandalism, excessive drinking, and romantic mistakes. She also has a predilection for watching Game Smart reruns and oftentimes gets into homes through windows. Despite her many failings, she is the best private investigator at Spellman Investigations.
Invading other people’s privacy is something that she does too well just like most of her family. The Spellmans’ never leave their work at the office as they wiretap, blackmail and dig up dirt on anyone including their own family. It is an excellent story that was so amazing that Lisa Luz got three nominations including an Alex Award which she won in 2008.
SPELLMANS SERIES AWARDS
The debut novel of the Spellman Series “The Spellman Files: that was published in 2008 was a nominee for best first novel in multiple awards. It was nominated for the Barry Award, the Macavity Award, the Dily’s Award, and went on to win the Alex Award. In 2009, Lutz published her second work in the series “Curse of the Spellmans’ which made the Mystery Writers of American shortlist for the Edgar Award in the best mystery novel category.
SPELLMANS SERIES BOOKS INTO TV/MOVIES
The first novel of the series was the most popular and was optioned for film by Paramount Pictures, which had Barry Sonnefield as director and Laura Ziskin as producer.
BEST SPELLMANS SERIES BOOKS
The Spellmans Files: The first novel of the series is undoubtedly one of its very best. Half dirty Harry and half Nancy Drew, Izzy walks a thin line between being an employee of the family investigations firm and a Spellman family member. Her jobs are assigned by her Mom and Dad who are the bosses. These are not your ordinary jobs as they include tracking down an uncle with a chronic tendency to disappear on benders, appeasing her seemingly unerring lawyer sibling, and being a good example to Rae her teenage sister.
The Spellmans Strike Again: The fourth novel of the series is another excellent novel in the series. Izzy is now 32 and is set in charge of the Spellman family business but given her wild character, the transition is bound to be a roller-coaster of a ride. Her first job as head of the firm is to find some dirt on their biggest completion and find “The Snowball Effect” a stolen screenplay. Next she has to solve a missing person’s case which she outsources to a friend who goes undercover as butler, only to enjoy the role too much.
The Revenge of the Spellmans: This is one of the most exciting of the Spellman books as Izzy has to solve a suspected infidelity case even as she completes a mandatory court-ordered therapy after getting too close to a previous client. Things reach a crescendo with Izzy in unchartered territory that reaches into the highest echelons of city politics. Her family intrigues also go a notch higher with the focused brother leaving the country, her sister Rae acing her SATs against all expectations, and her mother a leading suspect in a sophisticated con job.
OTHER BOOK SERIES YOU MAY LIKE
A lot of the Spellman Series books also loved the Psychic Eye Mystery Series by Victoria Laurie. The lead is Abby Cooper, a professional psychic that knows everything about everyone, but her own life is a mess.
Spellman series fans also enjoy the “Sofie Metropolis Series” of investigative novels by Tori Carrington. This is an investigative series following the life and times of Sofie Metropolis, an American-Greek private investigator who works solving intriguing cases in Queens, New York.
What Is The Next Book in The Izzy Spellman Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Izzy Spellman Series. The newest book is The Last Word / The Next Generation and was released on July, 9th 2013.
When I read “Spellman” all I could think of was Sabrina the Teenage Witch and I was thinking these books were a ripoff of the TV show. I was incredibly mistaken! Turns out, these books are a perfect read for fans of Veronica Mars (myself included); lighthearted but witty with good storylines – these books have something for everyone.
As a middle child myself, I really relate to Izzy and the sometimes awkward role she plays in her family. I wish there were more of these books.