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Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

David Grann

Start date: January 1, 2024

Finish date: March 31, 2024

Discussion: 2024 Nonfiction Challenges

Why we're reading this: Poll winner for the nonfiction quarterly read for 1Q24.
[close] Poll winner for the nonfiction quarterly read for 1Q24.

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What Members Thought

Aug 25, 2020 Laurel Bradshaw rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, non-fiction, history, daytimers-book-club, native-americans, true-crime, color-rating-purple

Told in three parts by three different narrators. It is the shocking story of a relatively little-known part of American history, and yet it is a story that is all too familiar in the racial history of our country. It reads like a novel. First we are introduced to the Osage people, and in particular to one of the families being systematically murdered. The second part tells about the role of the FBI in putting together an undercover team to investigate and solve the mystery and bring the perpetr Told in three parts by three different narrators. It is the shocking story of a relatively little-known part of American history, and yet it is a story that is all too familiar in the racial history of our country. It reads like a novel. First we are introduced to the Osage people, and in particular to one of the families being systematically murdered. The second part tells about the role of the FBI in putting together an undercover team to investigate and solve the mystery and bring the perpetrators to justice. I thought this part was particularly well done. But then the third part revisits the murders admitting that many holes still exist in the case, and that the actual number of murders (most still unresolved) was staggering. I wish this part had been developed more, and that it ended with a sense of justice restored. Unfortunately, we are left with the grim reminder that evidence was systematically destroyed, and the killers largely got away with, well, murder. Most of America has never even heard of these murders, but for the Osage people, it is still vivid. An important story that needs to be more widely known. I wavered between a blue and a purple rating - 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I wish it had been fleshed out a bit more.

Description: In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe. Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. One of her relatives was shot. Another was poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more and more Osage were dying under mysterious circumstances, and many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history. ...more

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Sep 04, 2018 Shelli rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, book-i-own, buddy-read, i-recommend, read-in-2018

Sadly, I didn't know much about the Osage Indians before reading this book. It was very informative and educational. Another horrific episode in our Nation's history. Unfortunately, I started out with the audio of this and I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it all. The narration was very dry like the person was reading a text book. It got better for me when I read the last quarter of the book. This was my family's summer group read. ...more

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Aug 08, 2017 J.J. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: history, audio, non-fiction, recommended-to-me, okie

Great audiobook and well researched history from all sides. Made me sad for so many even though I knew it had happened under the guardianship program.

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May 05, 2017 Michelle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-books-audio

I was appalled that this story of the destruction of the Osage tribe has been essentially lost to history. I'm glad I listened to this book just so that I would not be unaware of such atrocities. There were two reasons I selected this book, however, and neither of them had anything to do with the Osage Indians. First, I read David Grann's The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon and enjoyed it so I was eager to pick this one up. Secondly, a portion of the audiobook was read b ...more

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Oct 22, 2018 Linda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Here is another chapter that was omitted from our history textbooks. It is a gruesome, compelling unraveling of white American greed and privilege raining down fire and brimstone on the Osage Nation. I found the twists and turns as perplexing and unbelievable as the few earnest investigators. Out of this arose a National Law Enforcement effort, eventually leading J. Edgar Hoover and his crew to be named the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It’s a hard read. Understanding in full what we did to a ...more

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Sep 28, 2018 Eileen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Very interesting story about the first case of the FBI and how corrupt government was even then.

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Feb 01, 2020 Shala rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-ebook

As someone who has lived in Oklahoma for a large portion of my life, I am horrified and ashamed about this dark, painful part of our history, but I'm even more ashamed that I knew nothing about it. Why wasn't this is every Oklahoma history textbook? It was definitely a slower story, but I feel it is very well written and so very sad. ...more

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May 25, 2018 Ann rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, audible-audio, read-2018, audio-2018

Well written and full of interesting facts about the birth of the FBI and of the era, but painful to read of the greed motivated, hidden hatred and systemic murders of innocent Osage Indians. I am glad I read this book but it hurts my heart.

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