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    Trail of the Spellmans: Document #5
    Trail of the Spellmans: Document #5
    Trail of the Spellmans: Document #5
    Audiobook10 hours

    Trail of the Spellmans: Document #5

    Written by Lisa Lutz

    Narrated by Christina Moore

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    The fifth in the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award–nominated series about a fearless private investigator Izzy Spellman and her quirky, yet endearing, family of sleuths: “Lie back and enjoy this tale of intergenerational gumshoe mayhem” (Kirkus Reviews).

    For the first time in Spellman history, Isabel Spellman, PI, might be the most normal member of her family. Mom has taken on an outrageous assortment of extracurricular activities—with no apparent motive. Dad has a secret. Izzy’s brother and sister are at war—for no apparent reason. And her niece keeps saying “banana” even though she hates bananas. That’s not to say that Izzy isn’t without her own troubles. Her boyfriend, Henry Stone, keeps wanting “to talk,” a prospect Isabel evades by going out with her new drinking buddy, none other than Gertrude Stone, Henry’s mother. Things aren’t any simpler on the business side of Spellman Investigations. First, Rae is hired to follow a girl, but then fakes the surveillance reports. Then a math professor hires Izzy to watch his immaculate apartment while he unravels like a bad formula. And as the questions pile up, Izzy won’t stop hunting for the answers—even when they threaten to shatter both the business and the family.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateFeb 28, 2012
    ISBN9781442348455
    Author

    Lisa Lutz

    Lisa Lutz is the New York Times bestselling, Alex Award–winning author of the Spellman Files series, as well as the novels The Accomplice, Heads You Lose (with David Hayward), How to Start a Fire, The Passenger, and The Swallows. She has also written for film and TV, including HBO’s The Deuce. She lives in upstate New York.

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    Reviews for Trail of the Spellmans

    4/5

    296 ratings61 reviews

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    • 5/5
      HILARIOUS! Izzy, Rae and the entire Spellman family (including Henry Stone) make me giggle. The way this book ends it seems a third story will follow! It would be a shame if one didn't because if you are in a bad mood read these books and you'll start to grin!
    • 5/5
      Lisa Lutz writes another fantastically fun novel filled with the fabulous Spellman family. All the family members are back and up to their old investigating tricks in this sequel to The Spellman Files. The plot was fast paced but didn't pack the emotional punch that first book had. I did enjoy the larger role of Henry Stone as Rae's best friend and (possibly?) Izzy's new love interest. Actually, my favorite parts of the novel were Henry, Rae, and Izzy hanging out together because the dialogue between them was hysterical. Overall, a great addition to the Spellman series and I can't wait to read #3.
    • 4/5
      This book was hilarious! I didn’t like the ending though. It seemed strange to end such a funny book on a depressing note. I’ll still check out the next book in the series though because Izzy and Rae are the type of characters you can’t help but to get attached to.
    • 5/5
      This was just hilarity itself. It’s the third book (possibly, unfortunately, the final book) in the Series, and it ties up any and all loose ends while carrying through with its own plot. There were scenes in here that made me laugh out loud so hard I was getting weird looks from people around me, and at least one scene that made me cry. Definitely recommend this book -- but not if you haven’t read the other books in the series. If you have, I recommend you read the whole series...
    • 2/5
      A family of private investigators who get themselves involved in wacky cases. The 20 something Izzy Spellman is the focus of the books, and she works for the family business. She seems a less amusing version of Stephanie Plum.The first book, The Spellman Files was clever and funny. This second one is okay but a little heavy handed and the footnotes (yes! foonotes) are positively annoying.
    • 4/5
      This was a great follow-up to "The Spellman Files". I especially liked that we get to see more of Henry and also a little bit more character development for Izzie. There were a couple of places where the story dragged. (As much as I love Doctor Who, did we really need to have that much time devoted to Izzie and Henry watching it?) But the "mystery" was interesting and of course, the familiy interactions were great. Can't wait for book 3!
    • 4/5
      Loved the earlier books, but felt as if the author had tired of the series here.
    • 4/5
      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 to the little witch (although I still might choke her a little if I hear "Shotgun!" one more time). The actual mystery (and yes, Virginia, there IS a mystery in this book) competed with several family mysteries... and all were resolved nicely. I enjoyed this book much more than I did the first. I listened to the first one and perhaps this is an author best savored in print rather than audio.I am looking forward to getting into the Spellmans again (I might not even wait for the next one to go to bargain). I recommend this author to fans of Janet Evanovich. Lutz is a very funny lady
    • 5/5
      Two words: Henry Stone (I love him!) and can't wait to read more of his relationships with the Spellman clan.
    • 4/5
      The Spellmans – mom Olivia, dad Albert and two daughters – are going about their business (detecting) and all is well. Or is it? Izzy (daughter #1) thinks there’s something fishy going on with a female client who wants her wealthy husband followed. Rae (daughter #2) has mixed feelings about following a female college student about her own age – at the request of her parents. And a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder wants Izzy to check to make sure all is well at his apartment. And, as usual, the family relationships are strained, convoluted and messy. The only sane person at the Spellman agency is Demetrius or “D”, who is newly out of prison after having served 15 years for a crime he didn’t commit. When Grandma Spellman moves in and joins the family circus, Olivia goes bonkers trying avoidance first, then subtle warfare. But D and Grandma are bonding. What??? Then there’s Izzy’s love life, such as it is, complicated by the arrival of her beau Henry’s mom.Readers who like their mysteries “straight” aren’t the prime targets of these delicious Spellman stories. No, they’re for people who like light, frothy and fun stories that focus as much on relationships (odd as they are) and not on detecting. I mean, who else writes voluminous footnotes and appendices in a novel but Lisa Lutz? Although I thought the story got off to a slow start, it soon picked up steam and had me laughing out loud. Bring on more of them!
    • 4/5
      I *really* enjoy this series - the quirkiness of the family has grown on me. And Christina Moore's narration of the books really brings the characters to life.
    • 4/5
      This second installment in the Spellman series does not disappoint. How many times can Izzy get arrested in a three month period? Does the "Subject" have something to hide? What's the deal with Mr. and Mrs. Spellman's disappearances? If Rae growing up? All these questions are answered in this book. This is a fast read series that will keep you guessing and laughing out loud. If you thought your family was dysfunctional, read on and feel normal!Recommended for anyone who wants a just for fun read.
    • 3/5
      Sequel to The Spellman Files. Izzy and her dysfunctional family return for another set of humorous investigations. Izzy is obsessed with the mysterious new next-door neighbor. Rae is now a teenager and shows an occasional sign of normality, although her attachment to adult policeman Henry Stone illustrates all the things she's not getting from her parents. The story lines are negligible and serve only to give the characters space in which to be eccentric. The humor doesn't quite work for me; I didn't have any trouble finishing the book, but it will soon return to the library garage for their next book sale.
    • 5/5
      I love the Spellman books! These books are absolutely hilarious. The Spellman family returns in Lutz's newest Spellman novel. Isabel is endlessly intrigued by her parents' new neighbor, while Rae nearly stalks Henry Stone. Izabel fins herself being arrested numerous times throughout the novel under incredibly hilarious circumstances and her perfect brother, David is acting really funny lately....
    • 4/5
      The Spellmans are one messed up family. They run a private eye business, but their biggest activity seems to be spying on one another. Fortunately for us, their antics are hilarious! Curse of the Spellmans is one of the few sequels that was actually better than the first of the series. I loved the mix of mysteries, spy antics and dysfunction in the plot. The characters are complex and believable, not cartoon-ish like they would be in the hands of lesser talent. All-in-all, great fun!
    • 5/5
      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 dismay. It's to help out a family member. There's so much more going on, the story is told in backwards and forward time that took me some time to get used to, but it made sense as Izzy tells her tale like a normal person would...or at least how I would. You start to tell the story of something that happened and you remember that you should maybe start a little farther back to make the listener understand what led up to the current tale. You don't exactly start over, but you go back a little bit in time to complete the tale.The story made me laugh and enjoy my time with this crazy family. Five dysfunctional is fun beans....
    • 4/5
      This was a great listen! Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      A great follow-up to the Spellman Files. You got to know the characters a little more and appreciate their quirks. It's entertaining to follow Izzy along when she has tunnel vision. Hope there are more to come!
    • 5/5
      It's here it's here it's here!!!! Finally. I've been waiting for this sequel for what seems like years. I'm waiting till tonight before I break the seal and delve into Lutz's pleasingly nuerotic family.I read this in 24 hours. Would have been less, but darn real life kept intruding. I say this, because, unless abslutely forced to, this book is one that sucks you in and demands you continue until you're finished. Izzy is arrested 4 times throughout the book. Though 2 and 3 don't count she inists. There are several mysteries to unravel in the book, most I figure out right away, including the "Suspects" story. The fact that I solved the mysteries quickly in no way detracted from Lutz's magic in telling the story, through recorded conversations and reports, to your basic telling of the tale. I am impatiently waiting for the next installment, hoping there will be one. These books are freaking awesome, and I can't get enough of Izzy.
    • 5/5
      Pages and pages of fun. Even more enjoyable than the first.
    • 4/5
      Very funny follow-up to the Spellman Files. Izzy has been arrested four times and is consulting with her aged attorney Morty on her case, which prompts her to relate recent events in the Spellman family. If you want something lighthearted and funny, check out the Spellman family.
    • 3/5
      Such a fun mystery. A family of private detectives. Our hero thinks that her neighbor is doing something illegal and drives the poor man crazy
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in the Spellman series. While I enjoy the series and the mysteries, I'm getting a little weary of the constant footnotes and bouncing around in time. It was very funny the first time, wearing a little thin this time. I'll try the next in the series and see if it still annoys me but this might be my last Lutz for a while.
    • 4/5
      Lisa Lutz has done it again! Yet another can't-put-down, light, entertaining read! My only complain is that she spent a lot of time recapping a lot of things from the first book. But, once that was over, it was simply delightful. I love all of the characters, and can't wait for the third installment!
    • 3/5
      Just as fun as the first one. I started reading it on Saturday and finished it Monday afternoon. It's a fast read, but enjoyable at the same time.
    • 4/5
      Comic mystery (far superior to Evanovich's numbers series, IMHO) centering on a dysfunctional family of PIs (although mostly on the eldest daughter, Izzy) and their cases & adventures. Fast, quirky, and solid storyline.
    • 4/5
      funny as usual. gotta love this quirky family.
    • 5/5
      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 good-looking man moves in next door to her parents, Izzy intends to make him ex-boyfriend number 11. The two begin dating, but Izzy is intrigued by the man’s common name, John Brown, and that he keeps a room in his apartment locked. Izzy decides to investigate Brown and becomes suspicious that she can’t find out any real information concerning him. She manages to convince herself he’s up to no good and begins following him and breaking into his apartment, which lands her in jail four different times, although she claims two don’t count.The Spellmans are a hoot, and although this is considered a mystery, it’s actually more about the characters and their interactions. This is a fast read, with short chapters, written from Izzy’s point of view. The Stone and Spellman Show Episodes are hilarious and the footnotes are ingenious, as is the Appendix. A refreshing take on the mystery genre, and a book guaranteed to bring plenty of laughs.
    • 5/5
      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 previous 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.
    • 4/5
      Curse of the Spellmans is the second book in Lisa Lutz's Spellman series. This series follows the misadventures of Izzy Spellman, an overly suspicious private investigator with a dysfunctional family (most of whom are employed by the family's p.i. firm and love to spy on one another) and a long list of ex-boyfriends. In this installment of the series, Izzy notices that all the members of her family are behaving suspiciously so she begins to keep "Suspicious Behavior Reports" on them as well as her new next door neighbor and potential ex-boyfriend. Izzy practically wears herself out trying to spy on all these different people, and leaves little time and energy for the case that she is actually being paid to investigate - the vandalism of a widow's holiday yard displays which are exact replicas of the vandalisms that occurred when Izzy was a teenager and which she insists that she knows nothing about. Through the course of trying to solve all these mysteries, she gets arrested 2 times (or 4 times, but Izzy doesn't think arrests 2 and 3 should count), loses her rent-controlled apartment, and feels inadequate for never having been in the Olympics.

      The book remains consistent with the writing style that Lutz developed in The Spellman Files, the first book in the series. It is fun and quirky, with plenty of footnotes and even an appendix containing several lists including a list of ex-boyfriends. I still found the footnotes to be a little distracting and annoying, but they did break things up a bit and added some additional interest. And I still love Izzy. She consistently makes bad choices, but they are so funny! I should add, however, that this book continues to see her grow and mature, a process that she began in the first book. I am also very excited about the development of Henry Stone's character. I can't wait to see if he and Izzy ever have a romantic relationship! The book ended with something of a shocker concerning Izzy's status with in the family business - I won't divulge it here, but I have to admit that it has me intrigued enough that I already checked the next book out from the library and plan to start it soon.