Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI in Crazy Challenge Connection

Jan 21, 2018 (Mellifluous Grant) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, mystery

I really enjoyed the mystery in this one. It's a definite cringe-worthy read, full of horror and betrayal. I couldn't believe some of the things I read, and yet believe in its truth. Murder for money, I wish I could believe that it wasn't the fact that the Osage were American(ized) Indians, and that it was purely for financial gain that hundreds were slaughtered for their oil rights, but let us be honest...If they hadn't been Indian, if they hadn't been thought to be less than human, than perhap ...more

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Feb 08, 2021 Chelsey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-books, recommended-for-everyone, read-in-2021

5 Stars

**Before reading my review, I encourage you to read own voices reviews of this book.**

This book should be required reading in history classes. In general, Native American history is largely ignored or misconstrued in public education. It is an unacceptable tragedy and disservice to the entire population.

In this true crime novel, the author explores the Osage Murders and its relationship to the formation of the FBI. There are many facets to this book; it is part true crime, part history 5 Stars

**Before reading my review, I encourage you to read own voices reviews of this book.**

This book should be required reading in history classes. In general, Native American history is largely ignored or misconstrued in public education. It is an unacceptable tragedy and disservice to the entire population.

In this true crime novel, the author explores the Osage Murders and its relationship to the formation of the FBI. There are many facets to this book; it is part true crime, part history, and part narrative. In the beginning, we get some background history on the Osage nation and their force placement into the Oklahoma area. While some of the beginning did feel slow due to the writing style, it was needed information for the rest of the book as well as a needed lesson in the shameful history of the way the US treated its’ Native American citizens. Once the background information is established, the author walks us through the mystery of what was happening and who could possibly be responsible. Towards the end, just when you think things are solved, a much bigger and more horrendous truth comes to light. The final 60 or so pages follows the author’s own investigations into the Osage murders.

The author, David Grann, has an easily accessible writing style. Although a few chapters at the start had a bit of an info dump problem, the rest of the booked flowed seamlessly. He does a great job laying out the series of events and the connections between them in an easily understandable way. The people are events are depicted well without overwhelming the reader with information.

I hesitate to write too much more. I knew nothing about these crimes before reading this. If you don’t know anything about the trials, this book will do a great job explaining it to you. If you are already familiar with the case, this book will offer you some more insights and connections than you may already know. If you are a true crime fan, this is well worth the read. Even if you’re not, this should still be something you read. This is an important event in American history and has been shamefully overlooked.
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Jun 07, 2024 Mairi Byatt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Utterly stunning yet utterly vile!
Disturbing how this could have happened! But hugely recommend reading , the film cannot explain it better than the book! Destroyed me , how vile mankind can be!

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Jul 01, 2021 Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, non-fiction, nonfiction-book-club

This IS an amazing book. Absolutely heartbreaking and soul-crushing but amazing in the scope of the research, the detail, and the horrific story it documents. The audiobook is a joy to listen to, done in three parts by three different readers. I highly recommend this book to anyone but especially anyone trying to enlighten themselves regarding the ever unfolding tragic history between the white man and the indigenous people, in this case, the Osage Indians.

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