The Spellmans Strike Again: Document #4 [Paperback]

I can't give Lisa Lutz enough praise, it's simply impossible. I will say this, the only problem I have with this novel (the whole series) is that it ends too soon.

Fans of The Spellman series are not going to be disappointed with The Spellmans Strike Again. It's written in the same comedic, eye-popping, and endearing manner as all her previous books. As you know, there are always several on-going issues that get nicely wrapped up at the end. Some are going to have you in tears because you can't stop laughing (Len & Chris), others will have you in tears because some good things must come to an end - I'm sorry, I hate spoilers too but you'll find out soon enough! Everything is changing in the Spellman family.

For new readers/Fans: All Spellman novels are stand-alone. You don't have to start with the first, mainly because Lutz makes excellent use of footnotes. Her use of footnotes is part of the charm of this series and just as funny as the stories themselves. I won't hide it though, she also uses them as a blatant tactic to purchase the previous novels! I love the honesty. But here's a little synopsis:

Isabel Spellman comes from a family of private investigators. The Spellmans are very good at their work, so good in fact that they can't keep it out of their private lives. They spy on each other, record family conversations, resort to blackmail - you get the picture. Previously, she's had issues with the lack of privacy family members give each other (with the exception of her brother who is the only decent one here). It's been a long and difficult road but she's finally decided to slowly take ownership of the business from her parents. In the fourth installation Isabel deals with the following cases: 1. take down their family nemesis and fellow P.I. (he deserves it), 2. negotiate out of all the lawyer dates her mother has blackmailed her into (plus Isabel's boyfriend isn't too happy about it either), 3. find a rich client's butler, 4. discover who keeps taking the doorknobs and light fixtures in her family home, 5. false imprisonment (more than once), 6. okay, there's a lot going on but I hope I've piqued your interest.

My point is Lutz always has several things going on, but she doesn't miss a beat or cause a reader to lose track or get confused. Her writing style works and is very solid. Her characters are well- rounded, relatable, and interesting. You want to know more about them. You need to know more about them.

If you are a Stephanie Plum fan (and I am), you will not be disappointed in The Spellmans Strike Again. I recommend starting with the first novel though, if only to get a better appreciation of the whole series. It's like the Plum novels. You can start anywhere, but you get more when you start with One For the Money. The reading order for Lutz is:

1. The Spellman Files
2. Curse of the Spellmans
3. Revenge of the Spellmans

I hope this is not the last we see of the Spellmans.

Enjoy!

If you have read and enjoyed the first three parts of this series then you'll love this one. And, if you've yet to read the first three, try to do that before reading this. Although the book can stand alone, it is a far better read when you have the background on these characters from the previous books. The Spellman's are a dysfunctional P.I. family that spend most of their spare time investigating one another. They get up to no-good on a constant basis and become muddled in one anothers' lives. The biggest difference between this book and the others is that the characters all experience a tremendous amount of growth - Lutz definitely seems to be putting and end to the series and the storyline concludes quite.. conclusively. Every character has their life somewhat settled and there really isn't a necessity to continue their stories, although she could. There isn't a typical plot to the story, you're basically following the Spellman clan around as they investigate some cases and one another, and have a very witty time doing it. The dialogue is sharp and funny, and you can't help but enjoy yourself and laugh at the characters. It's really a great book, and has been a great series from the start. Easy to read and enjoy.

I went to a reading/signing for Lisa Lutz and she said she will likely write future Spellman novels! Apparently she took a bit of time off of writing the Spellman novels to work on something else, but does plan to write more at a later date. She said that it won't be for a release next year, since she hasn't started it yet, but it will be sometime in the future, when she has completed her other project. I was so excited to hear this news!
I think it's official - according to her latest Lutzletter (available on her site): America's favorite dysfunctional P.I. family will likely be back after a brief rest.

As for the latest, The Spellmans Strike Again, it doesn't disappoint. It picks up where the last novel left off, with the bickering Spellman family still trying to investigate and instigate each other. There were many points where I was laughing out loud. As in all the novels in the series there is a mystery (or three) to be solved and they all come to satisfying conclusions, although not always the conclusion that you expect. This novel could be read as a stand-alone book, but you will have a much deeper understanding of the dynamics between the characters if you read them all in order. Since the character dynamics are my favorite part of the novels, I think you'll laugh even harder and enjoy this novel even more if you check out the earlier books.

I think Lisa Lutz is a very underrated author, and I recommend her to anyone who like mysteries, or comedies, or has a crazy family. So basically, everyone I know!