The Secret of the Sphinx: (1 Kidquest)

Fourteen-year-old Lorton McCroy thinks he's in for a typical summer vacation-until his eccentric archaeologist uncle drags him halfway across the world to Egypt. But this isn't any sightseeing trip. Tom McCroy has been hired to explore newly discovered tunnels beneath the Great Sphinx itself, rumored to lead to the fabled Hall of Records. Armed with only a cryptic riddle, a battered map, and a love of history, Lorton follows his uncle into an underground labyrinth filled with ancient traps, deadly Komodo dragons, and the chilling possibility of getting lost forever. Worse, they're not alone down there-someone has been living in the Sphinx's tunnels for decades, and he'll do anything to keep his secrets. The Secret of the Sphinx is an old-school adventure in the spirit of Indiana Jones for young readers-complete with ancient mysteries, dangerous creatures, and plenty of family banter. Perfect for readers who love archaeology, travel, and hair-raising exploration in exotic lands. What readers are saying: "A hidden treasure by a young J.R. Rain! This is J.R. Rain when he was seventeen. I want to say that I was taken by surprise by this book, but nothing takes me by surprise when it comes to J.R. Rain! While it may not be as polished or as perfect as his books are now, it was a fantastic, well-thought-out adventure with plenty of twists and turns to keep a reader captivated as we read about a man and his nephew who set out to solve a baffling riddle and a recently discovered passageway underneath the Sphinx! At seventeen, J.R. Rain already had the makings of the great writer he has become! This book was geared towards young adults, but I think it will appeal to those of any age who have a sense of adventure and love a mystery! I really liked it, and I'm glad I read it!" -Amazon review "This story caught me by surprise. I was drawn into the fun adventure of two family members going to explore the riddles inside the ancient Sphinx in Egypt. I especially liked the sense of wonderment that the author gave his characters, adding to the unfolding adventure. Then, another short story within the book concluded the adventure, ending in a most satisfying manner. I really liked the story of these intelligent characters, each of which I was able to imagine completely in my mind, and enjoyed their company for the entire story. What a fun read." -Amazon review "Excellent effort by a young author. For those who don't know, J.K. Drew is a pen name once used by now bestselling author J.R. Rain. Written when he was seventeen years old, in Secret of the Sphinx, we can see his maturing literary voice. While not perfect, the short book nevertheless is a well-thought-out adventure story with some interesting twists and a satisfying ending. It also makes a nice compliment to the more recent Pyramid of the Gods by J.R. Rain and Aiden James." -Amazon review "This was a good book. I liked how Lorton is just a kid but he gets to go on an adventure with his uncle. He even got hurt so it was more real. He also saved everyone so that was cool." -Amazon review "An amazing adventure. I enjoyed the entire book. It kept my interest and I could not wait to finish. It was very good!" -Amazon review