R.L. LaFevers lives in Southern California. Learn more at her website: http://www.rllafevers.com/Kelly Murphy grew up surrounded by swamps and marshes that she explored with her six other siblings in southern New England. If you'd like to see more of Kelly's work, please visit www.kelmurphy.com

A reluctant young hero must chase down an evil serpent king in "this satisfying middle-grade adventure . . . in colonial British West Africa" (Kirkus Reviews).

Nate Fludd is back in the camel saddle in pursuit of a missing, deadly basilisk-the mythical King of Serpents. As if saving a Dhughani village from the beast isn't hard enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must begin to solve the mystery of his parents' disappearance and protect The Fludd Book of Beasts from a sinister man who always seems to be one step ahead of them.

With more lively illustrations by Kelly Murphy, The Basilisk's Lair picks up immediately where the first book in the series, Flight of the Phoenix, left off. This historical fantasy chapter book series is perfect for intermediate readers.