The Reptile Room

1999, possibly first edition, from HarperCollins
Lemony Snicket
Illustrated by Brett Helquist
A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the Second: The Reptile Room
Hardcover in good condition
B+

This is just as clever as the first book, with lines like "Never, under any circumstances, let the Virginia Wolfsnake near a typewriter."  And when Mr. Poe (the children's dim-witted "protector") panics, he calls out to not only several deities, but Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Snicket even gets away with filling over a page with just the word "ever" repeated again and again.  Helquist's illustrations aren't quite as memorable, although the snake topiary is good.  

The first book set up the situation, with the children becoming orphans and meeting Count Olaf.  In this first sequel, they have a much kinder distant relative to stay with, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery, but Snicket observes that their happiness won't last long, and indeed it doesn't.