The Spellman family reminds me of Fagan's gang, but instead of thievery they use their kids from a very young age to participate in their family run private detective agency. The book is told from the point of view of Izzy, currently 28 years old, who began her professional life as a public records checker, and surveillance agent at about 12 years, but has in fact been investigating everything all her life.
Her younger sister Rae was on her first surveillance outing before she could officially read, at the age of 5.
A very quirky novel full of humorous stories, but now, 100 pages in, building up to a big case.
I've discovered through the website at http://lisalutz.com/ that there is a sequel, CURSE OF THE SPELLMAN'S, to look forward to.
There are some interviews on site with Lisa, in which she reveals that THE SPELLMAN FILES began life as a screen play, and also that a 3rd novel REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS is on the drawing board.
THE SPELLMAN FILES is one of ten recipients of the 2008 Alex Awards.
http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/alexawards/alex08.cfm
It is also a 2008 Dilys Award Nominee
http://www.mysterybooksellers.com/dilys.html
In March 2008 THE CURSE OF THE SPELLMANS was named #1 pick by Book Sense
http://news.bookweb.org/booksense/5813.htm
Lauren Weisberger has suggested that THE SPELLMAN FILES could be regarded as "chick-lit":
I also loved The Spellman Files and, while reading it, kept asking myself whether it was chick lit. I think it does fit the genre to a certain extent - snarky heroine, challenging romantic relationships and even more challenging family members - but I still struggled to decide whether to review it as chick lit or not. Eventually I decided that if Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series is chick lit (and I think it is) then so is The Spellman Files.
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