The Fabulous Flying Mrs. Miller: A True Story of Adventure, Danger, Romance and Derring-Do

Baxter (Black Widow) offers another popular history with a criminal angle in this thrilling biography. Jessie Beveridge Miller Pugh was born in 1901 in Southern Cross, Australia. Nicknamed Chubbie, she was known in headlines as Mrs. Miller, the first woman to fly from London to Sydney in 1927. She was a passenger in that stunt, which she organized and raised capital for. Miller earned her pilot’s license two years later; “having total control of a plane thrilled her.” Miller, her friend Amelia Earhart, and other women aviators flew in the U.S.’s first women’s air race (which Will Rogers called the Powderpuff Derby). Miller made more headlines when she was the first woman to fly solo from Pittsburgh to Cuba, and even more headlines when her married lover died in Miami and her other married lover was accused of shooting him. Or was it suicide? Baxter exploits the era’s copious newspaper reports in retelling Miller’s story, which includes a burned hotel, a damaged tail skid, harrowing fog, numerous competition wins, and dramatic court testimony. Readers will enjoy coming along for the ride. (May)