Amelia Earhart: Beyond the Grave

In exacting prose, Jameson (Pat Garrett) weaves a complex tale of what happened to the famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart. The author’s attention to detail, facts, and supporting narratives comes together in this tour-de-force surrounding one of the greatest mysteries of our time. Calling into question the official story, Jameson posits that Amelia Earhart was not lost at sea but was instead an American spy, commissioned to fly over the Marshall Islands and document the militarization of the Japanese in the late 1930s. When her mission failed, Earhart was captured and held by the Japanese for years before returning to the United States under a pseudonym. Although the story requires a leap of faith from readers, the sound structure of James’s argument—combined with reams of government documents, eyewitness accounts, and newspaper clippings from the period—makes for a surprisingly convincing case. At times readers will wish they had a better picture of who Amelia Earhart was and what motivated her, but Jameson focuses more on unraveling the cover-up behind her death, rather than bringing to life the actual person. This book is best suited for anyone interested in aviation, WWII, or the mystery surrounding Amelia Earhart’s fate. (Mar.)