Tailspin
The Strange Case of Major Call
By Bernard F. Conners
British American Publishing - May 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-94517-50-4 - Cloth cover
Nonfiction / Biography
for Violence

Reviewed by: Jo Rogers, MyShelf.Com
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Many biographies are less than fascinating to the fiction aficionado. TAILSPIN: THE STRANGE CASE OF MAJOR CALL is a huge exception to the rule. Bernard F. Connors, a former FBI agent who is adept at fiction, has turned those skills loose on the story of Major James Arlon Call.

Major Call was a dashing young navigator in the Air Force with a love of gambling and speed. He met and married Muriel John in 1950 while stationed near Tucson, Arizona. Soon, they had a son, Jeff. Except for the secret missions and the combat missions over Korea, that kept Jim and Muriel apart, life was just about perfect.

Muriel's asthma made pregnancy difficult, even with the dry climate of Tucson. During her second pregnancy, Jim was transferred to Florida, a fatal move for Muriel. She contracted an infection that killed both her and her unborn child. Jim Call was devastated. He got heavily in debt gambling, and seemed to live more and more on the edge. Finally he went AWOL and began a crime spree that would include one of the most notorious murders in midwestern history.

TAILSPIN is a riveting story with an unexpected end. It reads like a novel, but each point is backed up with extensive documentation. If you read only one nonfiction book this summer, read TAILSPIN. You won't regret it.