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* TheBeard: Isabel is forced to pretend she's engaged to Henry in book 2 when the child welfare authorities start asking about his and Rae's friendship.
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* FakeRelationship: Isabel is forced to pretend she's engaged to Henry in book 2 when the child welfare authorities start asking about his and Rae's friendship.
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* Inspector Henry Stone: unfortunately, he meets Rae when she fakes her own disappearance. She promptly adopts him and won't leave him alone since, much to his dismay. Isabel later develops an unrequited crush on him.
to:
* Inspector Henry Stone: unfortunately, he meets Rae when she fakes [[spoiler:fakes her own disappearance.disappearance]]. She promptly adopts him and won't leave him alone since, much to his dismay. Isabel later develops an unrequited crush on him.
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%%* BlackSheep: Isabel
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* HelipcopterParents: Albert and Olivia have resorted to some fairly appalling meddling even beyond the usual spying on their children.
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* MeddlingParents: Albert and Olivia have resorted to some fairly appalling meddling even beyond the usual spying on their children.
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* EnterStageWindow: Isabel frequently, Rae sometimes.
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* OffScreenBreakup: [[spoiler:Petra and David, later Rae and Fred.]]
to:
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[[quoteright:261:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_spellman_files.jpg]]
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Examples of:
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----
<<|{{Literature}}|>>
<<|{{Literature}}|>>
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<<|{{Literature}}|>>
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* David Spellman: Oldest and only son of the Spellmans, the "good kid." Got out of the family business and became a "straight" lawyer. Then he starts to break down...
* Rae Spellman: The "surprise" child, now a teenager. A master manipulator even in her teens, she's an entirely different form of trouble than Isabel. Has adopted Henry as her "best friend", which her parents allow because he's the only good influence on her (as well as that's going to work). Smarter than she lets on.
* Ray Spellman: A former cop who's prone to "Lost Weekends" where he goes on benders. Has an...interesting...relationship with his namesake.
* Rae Spellman: The "surprise" child, now a teenager. A master manipulator even in her teens, she's an entirely different form of trouble than Isabel. Has adopted Henry as her "best friend", which her parents allow because he's the only good influence on her (as well as that's going to work). Smarter than she lets on.
* Ray Spellman: A former cop who's prone to "Lost Weekends" where he goes on benders. Has an...interesting...relationship with his namesake.
to:
* David Spellman: Oldest oldest and only son of the Spellmans, the "good kid." Got out of the family business and became a "straight" lawyer. Then he starts to break down...
* Rae Spellman:The the "surprise" child, now a teenager. A master manipulator even in her teens, she's an entirely different form of trouble than Isabel. Has adopted Henry as her "best friend", which her parents allow because he's the only good influence on her (as well as that's going to work). Smarter than she lets on.
* Ray Spellman:A a former cop who's prone to "Lost Weekends" where he goes on benders. Has an...interesting...relationship with his namesake.
* Rae Spellman:
* Ray Spellman:
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%%* BittersweetEnding: books 4 and 5.
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%%* BittersweetEnding: books Books 4 and 5.
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* ByTheBookCop: Henry Stone, who gets forced to be less rigid due to his association with the Spellmans
to:
* ByTheBookCop: Henry Stone, who gets forced to be less rigid due to his association with the SpellmansSpellmans.
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* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: Isabel fixing up Petra and Gabe, Rae/Isabel fixing up Maggie and David
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: what happens to Rae in book 4
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: what happens to Rae in book 4
to:
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: Isabel fixing up Petra and Gabe, Rae/Isabel fixing up Maggie and David
David.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment:what What happens to Rae in book 44.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment:
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%%* DowntimeDowngrade: [[spoiler: Rae and Fred]]
to:
%%* DowntimeDowngrade: [[spoiler: Rae [[spoiler:Rae and Fred]]Fred]].
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* EveryoneCanSeeIt: that Isabel has a crush on Henry, even though she'd like to keep it secret.
to:
* EveryoneCanSeeIt: that That Isabel has a crush on Henry, even though she'd like to keep it secret.
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* {{Gaslighting}}: what Olivia does to Rae regarding her grades
** This appears to be happening to Walter in book 5.
* GrumpyOldMan: Isabel's friend/lawyer Morty.
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: Isabel and Henry in real life.
** This appears to be happening to Walter in book 5.
* GrumpyOldMan: Isabel's friend/lawyer Morty.
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: Isabel and Henry in real life.
to:
**
%%** This appears to be happening to Walter in book 5.
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* LeftHanging: the fate of [[spoiler: Demetrius Merriweather, still not freed yet]] in book 4. [[spoiler: He's out in book 5.]]
* MaybeEverAfter: [[spoiler: Rae and Fred at the end of book 5.]]
* MayDecemberRomance: does not happen between Henry and Isabel, though she'd like it to. [[spoiler: Henry changes his mind in book 4.]]
* MeaningfulFuneral: for [[spoiler: Morty]]
* MaybeEverAfter: [[spoiler: Rae and Fred at the end of book 5.]]
* MayDecemberRomance: does not happen between Henry and Isabel, though she'd like it to. [[spoiler: Henry changes his mind in book 4.]]
* MeaningfulFuneral: for [[spoiler: Morty]]
to:
* LeftHanging: the The fate of [[spoiler: Demetrius [[spoiler:Demetrius Merriweather, still not freed yet]] in book 4. [[spoiler: He's [[spoiler:He's out in book 5.]]
* MaybeEverAfter:[[spoiler: Rae [[spoiler:Rae and Fred at the end of book 5.]]
* MayDecemberRomance:does Does not happen between Henry and Isabel, though she'd like it to. [[spoiler: Henry [[spoiler:Henry changes his mind in book 4.]]
* %%* MeaningfulFuneral: for [[spoiler: Morty]]For [[spoiler:Morty]].
* MaybeEverAfter:
* MayDecemberRomance:
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* NeatFreak: Henry
* OffScreenBreakup: [[spoiler: Petra and David, later Rae and Fred.]]
* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: pretty much everyone else in the series vs. Rae when she's acting up.
* OffScreenBreakup: [[spoiler: Petra and David, later Rae and Fred.]]
* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: pretty much everyone else in the series vs. Rae when she's acting up.
to:
* OffScreenBreakup:
* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain:
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** [[spoiler: Demetrius]] in book 5.
* PlotDrivingSecret: every book features several of these that Isabel is trying to unravel.
* {{Revenge}}: factors into a lot of the plots.
%%* RomanticFalseLead: Maggie
* SecretChaser: the Spellmans in general, Isabel most of all. Hell, she gets nicknamed "The Gopher" for it.
* SecretRelationship: [[spoiler: Demetrius and Mabel]]
* PlotDrivingSecret: every book features several of these that Isabel is trying to unravel.
* {{Revenge}}: factors into a lot of the plots.
%%* RomanticFalseLead: Maggie
* SecretChaser: the Spellmans in general, Isabel most of all. Hell, she gets nicknamed "The Gopher" for it.
* SecretRelationship: [[spoiler: Demetrius and Mabel]]
to:
* PlotDrivingSecret:
%%* RomanticFalseLead:
* SecretChaser:
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* ThereAreNoTherapists: this changes in book 3 when Isabel is forced into [[spoiler: court-ordered]] therapy. She ends up liking it.
* ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim: by book 4, Henry and Maggie have figured out how to manipulate the Spellman clan by using their techniques.
* ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim: by book 4, Henry and Maggie have figured out how to manipulate the Spellman clan by using their techniques.
to:
* ThereAreNoTherapists: this This changes in book 3 when Isabel is forced into [[spoiler: court-ordered]] [[spoiler:court-ordered]] therapy. She ends up liking it.
* ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim:by By book 4, Henry and Maggie have figured out how to manipulate the Spellman clan by using their techniques.
* ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim:
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* WhyCantIHateYou: Isabel towards Maggie in book 3.
to:
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The Spellman Files is a series of books by Lisa Lutz, which features a [[ItRunsInTheFamily family]] of [[PrivateDetective private investigators]] in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco. They're all very obsessed with their work. Wackiness Ensues on a regular basis.
The books so far are:
* ''The Spellman Files''
* ''Curse of the Spellmans''
* ''Revenge of the Spellmans''
* ''The Spellmans Strike Again''
* ''Trail of the Spellmans''
The main characters are:
* Isabel Spellman: our narrator, who's been a PI since age 12 and has never done another job. A former juvenile delinquent, she's only somewhat reformed in her behavior, and is an obsessive investigator. Either lives with a family member, or in some divey place, or wanders around homeless. Has a dicey dating history as well. The series seems to be a ComingOfAgeStory for her, as she slowly starts growing up at around age 30.
* Albert and Olivia Spellman: the parents/owners of Spellman Investigations. Brought their children up to be PI's and to spy on each other.
* David Spellman: Oldest and only son of the Spellmans, the "good kid." Got out of the family business and became a "straight" lawyer. Then he starts to break down...
* Rae Spellman: The "surprise" child, now a teenager. A master manipulator even in her teens, she's an entirely different form of trouble than Isabel. Has adopted Henry as her "best friend", which her parents allow because he's the only good influence on her (as well as that's going to work). Smarter than she lets on.
* Ray Spellman: A former cop who's prone to "Lost Weekends" where he goes on benders. Has an...interesting...relationship with his namesake.
* Inspector Henry Stone: unfortunately, he meets Rae when she fakes her own disappearance. She promptly adopts him and won't leave him alone since, much to his dismay. Isabel later develops an unrequited crush on him.
* Petra: Isabel's best friend, who marries and later divorces David. She's a lot wilder than he is.
* Daniel Castillo: Isabel's ninth ex-boyfriend, who remains in their lives even after she traumatizes him by dating him.
* Maggie Mason: a nice lawyer that Henry dates, and that the Spellmans like despite themselves.
* Morty Schilling: Isabel's eightysomething lawyer friend.
* Milo: Owner of Isabel's favorite bar, The Philosopher's Club.
* Connor: bartender at The Philosopher's Club, Isabel later dates him.
* Fred Finkel: Rae's boyfriend later on.
* Demetrius Merriweather: a TV thief who was wrongly convicted of murder, Isabel and Maggie worked to free him.
Examples of:
* TheAlcoholic: Uncle Ray. Isabel possibly, as she does drink like a fish recreationally (if not all the time).
%%* AloofBigBrother: David
* TheBeard: Isabel is forced to pretend she's engaged to Henry in book 2 when the child welfare authorities start asking about his and Rae's friendship.
%%* BittersweetEnding: books 4 and 5.
* BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord: Isabel gets blackmailed in book 3 with a CutAndPasteNote. She gets forced to do things such as go to SFMOMA and wash her dad's car.
%%* BlackSheep: Isabel
* BornDetective: Isabel and Rae have been working for Spellman Investigations since their [[KidDetective tween years.]]
* ByTheBookCop: Henry Stone, who gets forced to be less rigid due to his association with the Spellmans
%%* ClassicallyTrainedExtra: Len and Christopher
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: Isabel fixing up Petra and Gabe, Rae/Isabel fixing up Maggie and David
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: what happens to Rae in book 4
* CorruptionByAMinor: Rae decides on her own recognizance to help out the vice squad.
* DarkSecret: Many members of the Spellman household spend much of the books busily hiding their various dark secrets, while other members equally busily try to figure them out.
* DefectiveDetective: Isabel has just hit her 30's and really, really needs to start growing up. And to get her own place instead of sponging off others. And to have a less frightening dating life. And while she's a good detective, she doesn't really have an "off" switch, and doesn't listen to people telling her to cool down.
%%* DrivesLikeCrazy
* DrowningMySorrows: Isabel, pretty much all the time.
%%* DowntimeDowngrade: [[spoiler: Rae and Fred]]
* EnterStageWindow: Isabel frequently, Rae sometimes.
* EveryoneCanSeeIt: that Isabel has a crush on Henry, even though she'd like to keep it secret.
* FalseSoulmate: Isabel and Henry are doomed once he decides he wants a family, and she's the least maternal person on the planet.
%%* FootnoteFever
* {{Gaslighting}}: what Olivia does to Rae regarding her grades
** This appears to be happening to Walter in book 5.
* GrumpyOldMan: Isabel's friend/lawyer Morty.
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: Isabel and Henry in real life.
* HomelessHero: Isabel drifts in and out of various housing arrangements, from a room in her parents' house, to her own apartment, to her car, to her brother's basement (without his permission.)
* IvyLeagueForEveryone: Don't even ask how Rae got admitted to Yale. Kinda subverted when Rae elects to go to [[CaliforniaUniversity UC]] [[StrawmanU Berkeley]] so she can live at home instead.
* JustFriends: Teenage Rae adopts a 40something Henry Stone as her best friend. She genuinely doesn't have a crush on him, nor is he a pervert. Though in his case, he has a lot more issues with the forced friendship than she does. Really, she's TheCatCameBack to him in that he can't get rid of her.
* LeftHanging: the fate of [[spoiler: Demetrius Merriweather, still not freed yet]] in book 4. [[spoiler: He's out in book 5.]]
* MaybeEverAfter: [[spoiler: Rae and Fred at the end of book 5.]]
* MayDecemberRomance: does not happen between Henry and Isabel, though she'd like it to. [[spoiler: Henry changes his mind in book 4.]]
* MeaningfulFuneral: for [[spoiler: Morty]]
* MeddlingParents: Albert and Olivia have resorted to some fairly appalling meddling even beyond the usual spying on their children.
* MidlifeCrisisCar: David gets one, but goes in a different direction than you were expecting.
* NeatFreak: Henry
* OffScreenBreakup: [[spoiler: Petra and David, later Rae and Fred.]]
* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: pretty much everyone else in the series vs. Rae when she's acting up.
* OnlySaneMan: David, though his sanity starts slipping during the series.
** [[spoiler: Demetrius]] in book 5.
* PlotDrivingSecret: every book features several of these that Isabel is trying to unravel.
* {{Revenge}}: factors into a lot of the plots.
%%* RomanticFalseLead: Maggie
* SecretChaser: the Spellmans in general, Isabel most of all. Hell, she gets nicknamed "The Gopher" for it.
* SecretRelationship: [[spoiler: Demetrius and Mabel]]
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Henry Stone in for Uncle Ray-- Olivia points out that Rae seems to think of him as a cleaned-up version of her uncle.
* SweetTooth: Rae is always eating something sweet. David actually hides candy away from himself in his own house, to keep himself from eating it.
* TheThingThatWouldNotLeave: Rae, so often that Henry frequently calls Isabel to get her to extract Rae from his house. Rae also pulls this at Isabel's favorite bar. Isabel pulls this on David herself in book 3.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: this changes in book 3 when Isabel is forced into [[spoiler: court-ordered]] therapy. She ends up liking it.
* ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim: by book 4, Henry and Maggie have figured out how to manipulate the Spellman clan by using their techniques.
* UnusualEuphemism: "Disappearance" is used in lieu of "vacation" in the Spellman household, "Lost Weekend" equating to "Uncle Ray has a drunken bender."
* WhyCantIHateYou: Isabel towards Maggie in book 3.
----
<<|{{Literature}}|>>
The books so far are:
* ''The Spellman Files''
* ''Curse of the Spellmans''
* ''Revenge of the Spellmans''
* ''The Spellmans Strike Again''
* ''Trail of the Spellmans''
The main characters are:
* Isabel Spellman: our narrator, who's been a PI since age 12 and has never done another job. A former juvenile delinquent, she's only somewhat reformed in her behavior, and is an obsessive investigator. Either lives with a family member, or in some divey place, or wanders around homeless. Has a dicey dating history as well. The series seems to be a ComingOfAgeStory for her, as she slowly starts growing up at around age 30.
* Albert and Olivia Spellman: the parents/owners of Spellman Investigations. Brought their children up to be PI's and to spy on each other.
* David Spellman: Oldest and only son of the Spellmans, the "good kid." Got out of the family business and became a "straight" lawyer. Then he starts to break down...
* Rae Spellman: The "surprise" child, now a teenager. A master manipulator even in her teens, she's an entirely different form of trouble than Isabel. Has adopted Henry as her "best friend", which her parents allow because he's the only good influence on her (as well as that's going to work). Smarter than she lets on.
* Ray Spellman: A former cop who's prone to "Lost Weekends" where he goes on benders. Has an...interesting...relationship with his namesake.
* Inspector Henry Stone: unfortunately, he meets Rae when she fakes her own disappearance. She promptly adopts him and won't leave him alone since, much to his dismay. Isabel later develops an unrequited crush on him.
* Petra: Isabel's best friend, who marries and later divorces David. She's a lot wilder than he is.
* Daniel Castillo: Isabel's ninth ex-boyfriend, who remains in their lives even after she traumatizes him by dating him.
* Maggie Mason: a nice lawyer that Henry dates, and that the Spellmans like despite themselves.
* Morty Schilling: Isabel's eightysomething lawyer friend.
* Milo: Owner of Isabel's favorite bar, The Philosopher's Club.
* Connor: bartender at The Philosopher's Club, Isabel later dates him.
* Fred Finkel: Rae's boyfriend later on.
* Demetrius Merriweather: a TV thief who was wrongly convicted of murder, Isabel and Maggie worked to free him.
Examples of:
* TheAlcoholic: Uncle Ray. Isabel possibly, as she does drink like a fish recreationally (if not all the time).
%%* AloofBigBrother: David
* TheBeard: Isabel is forced to pretend she's engaged to Henry in book 2 when the child welfare authorities start asking about his and Rae's friendship.
%%* BittersweetEnding: books 4 and 5.
* BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord: Isabel gets blackmailed in book 3 with a CutAndPasteNote. She gets forced to do things such as go to SFMOMA and wash her dad's car.
%%* BlackSheep: Isabel
* BornDetective: Isabel and Rae have been working for Spellman Investigations since their [[KidDetective tween years.]]
* ByTheBookCop: Henry Stone, who gets forced to be less rigid due to his association with the Spellmans
%%* ClassicallyTrainedExtra: Len and Christopher
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: Isabel fixing up Petra and Gabe, Rae/Isabel fixing up Maggie and David
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: what happens to Rae in book 4
* CorruptionByAMinor: Rae decides on her own recognizance to help out the vice squad.
* DarkSecret: Many members of the Spellman household spend much of the books busily hiding their various dark secrets, while other members equally busily try to figure them out.
* DefectiveDetective: Isabel has just hit her 30's and really, really needs to start growing up. And to get her own place instead of sponging off others. And to have a less frightening dating life. And while she's a good detective, she doesn't really have an "off" switch, and doesn't listen to people telling her to cool down.
%%* DrivesLikeCrazy
* DrowningMySorrows: Isabel, pretty much all the time.
%%* DowntimeDowngrade: [[spoiler: Rae and Fred]]
* EnterStageWindow: Isabel frequently, Rae sometimes.
* EveryoneCanSeeIt: that Isabel has a crush on Henry, even though she'd like to keep it secret.
* FalseSoulmate: Isabel and Henry are doomed once he decides he wants a family, and she's the least maternal person on the planet.
%%* FootnoteFever
* {{Gaslighting}}: what Olivia does to Rae regarding her grades
** This appears to be happening to Walter in book 5.
* GrumpyOldMan: Isabel's friend/lawyer Morty.
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: Isabel and Henry in real life.
* HomelessHero: Isabel drifts in and out of various housing arrangements, from a room in her parents' house, to her own apartment, to her car, to her brother's basement (without his permission.)
* IvyLeagueForEveryone: Don't even ask how Rae got admitted to Yale. Kinda subverted when Rae elects to go to [[CaliforniaUniversity UC]] [[StrawmanU Berkeley]] so she can live at home instead.
* JustFriends: Teenage Rae adopts a 40something Henry Stone as her best friend. She genuinely doesn't have a crush on him, nor is he a pervert. Though in his case, he has a lot more issues with the forced friendship than she does. Really, she's TheCatCameBack to him in that he can't get rid of her.
* LeftHanging: the fate of [[spoiler: Demetrius Merriweather, still not freed yet]] in book 4. [[spoiler: He's out in book 5.]]
* MaybeEverAfter: [[spoiler: Rae and Fred at the end of book 5.]]
* MayDecemberRomance: does not happen between Henry and Isabel, though she'd like it to. [[spoiler: Henry changes his mind in book 4.]]
* MeaningfulFuneral: for [[spoiler: Morty]]
* MeddlingParents: Albert and Olivia have resorted to some fairly appalling meddling even beyond the usual spying on their children.
* MidlifeCrisisCar: David gets one, but goes in a different direction than you were expecting.
* NeatFreak: Henry
* OffScreenBreakup: [[spoiler: Petra and David, later Rae and Fred.]]
* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: pretty much everyone else in the series vs. Rae when she's acting up.
* OnlySaneMan: David, though his sanity starts slipping during the series.
** [[spoiler: Demetrius]] in book 5.
* PlotDrivingSecret: every book features several of these that Isabel is trying to unravel.
* {{Revenge}}: factors into a lot of the plots.
%%* RomanticFalseLead: Maggie
* SecretChaser: the Spellmans in general, Isabel most of all. Hell, she gets nicknamed "The Gopher" for it.
* SecretRelationship: [[spoiler: Demetrius and Mabel]]
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Henry Stone in for Uncle Ray-- Olivia points out that Rae seems to think of him as a cleaned-up version of her uncle.
* SweetTooth: Rae is always eating something sweet. David actually hides candy away from himself in his own house, to keep himself from eating it.
* TheThingThatWouldNotLeave: Rae, so often that Henry frequently calls Isabel to get her to extract Rae from his house. Rae also pulls this at Isabel's favorite bar. Isabel pulls this on David herself in book 3.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: this changes in book 3 when Isabel is forced into [[spoiler: court-ordered]] therapy. She ends up liking it.
* ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim: by book 4, Henry and Maggie have figured out how to manipulate the Spellman clan by using their techniques.
* UnusualEuphemism: "Disappearance" is used in lieu of "vacation" in the Spellman household, "Lost Weekend" equating to "Uncle Ray has a drunken bender."
* WhyCantIHateYou: Isabel towards Maggie in book 3.
----
<<|{{Literature}}|>>
