The Osage nation of Native Americans, like other tribes were pushed from their traditional lands by the Western expansion of settlers. They eventually were pushed into Oklahoma onto poor land. But in the 1900's oil was discovered on their land and by the 1920's, the Osage nation were the richest in the country.

But their troubles weren't over. Instead, there were systematic attempts to defraud them and steal their money. Many white people married Osage individuals to share in their money. The governments and banks had Osage individuals declared incompetent to manage their money and appointed guardians who gave them allowances and stole their money while supposedly overwatching it.

Yet even that was not enough. In the 1920's, a criminal conspiracy targeted various Osage families for murder so that their money could be taken. The man behind the conspiracy was William Hale, a man who moved there and became wealthy, stating that he was the Osage tribe's best friend. One of his nephews, Ernest, married into an Osage family and the murders starting happening. Before it was over, the matriarch, three sisters and one of their husbands were killed. One murder was a house blown up even though Ernest knew his own wife and children were supposed to be there that night.

Eventually, the murders became so egregious that the federal government stepped in. The newly formed FBI sent an agent named White to the area where he used undercover agents and turned conspirators against each other until the men could be charged. Although they were imprisoned for long periods, none were put to death. This is that story and the one told in the recent movie. But there was more. In a part two not referenced in the movie, the author discusses all the cases that occurred before and after the infamous ones and how the reign of terror has affected the Osage nation even today.

David Grann is a journalist and staff writer at the New Yorker. His work is extensive and his research impeccable. He is known for his intense immersement in his topics and this book is probably his most impressive and the one he has given most of his professional life to. It was a National Book Award finalist and the reader will be appalled at yet another example of how the Native Americans were treated by those who came after them. This book is recommended for nonfiction readers.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. Great book! Well written, fascinating true story! I will be recommending this book. Thanks again for letting have a chance to read it.I will be recommending this book. Thanks again for letting have a chance to read it.

Great historical nonfiction narrative read! Highly recommend it to fans of the genre and those looking to expand their reading circle. Purchasing for library.

Nonfiction is not usually my thing but wow! This was really well written! I even had my husband read it when I was finished.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

A sad episode in American history of racial prejudice, greed, and murder. Very well-written and suspenseful. The events recorded in the book led to the creation of the FBI. I highly recommend.

Such a great book. So many intricate details but very well written. I learned a lot by reading this book but it didn’t read like your typical nonfiction book.

Absolutely loved. This book read like a novel.. I am very interested in Native American history and I couldn't believe I had never heard of the murders of the Osage Indians before. I am very grateful to David Grann for bringing this story to light.

A true crime story of the Osage Indians, in 1920. The author takes you back to how they had been moved along with other Indian tribes when the land that the government deemed were theirs through treaties of the 1870s needed to be moved to what was considered worthless land in Oklahoma. By the 1920s this land was not worthless but valuable in liquid black gold, (oil). Deemed not able to manage their own affairs an Indian agent white man from the department of the interior was put to oversee their affairs for them, really to steal from them. Not knowing that most of the Tribe could read and write they did not think that they needed anyone to oversee their interests, especially after this little tribe was now richer than most people around. They had cars, nice homes, clothes etc... Also, murder came with their wealth. It would take 24 people to be killed and finally, in 1935 the FBI sent men in to look into the deaths. Hoover also reached out to Texas Ranger Tom White who was used to investigating things his way and the people from the area did not know he was there for the investigation. As you get deeper into the story, you realize just how sickening these crimes really are and the prejudice not only from the people of the area, but also from Washington, and also from the rich men who wanted the oil in the first place. The author does not paint Hoover in a good light which I thought from the beginning, for I had read a book a few years ago about Tom White and though he investigated and found the criminals Hoover made it out like he had nothing to do with it. There was also a movie made in the 50’s FBI story with Jimmy Stewart that lightly mentions an Indian tribe and murders but not the depth to the murders and the people killed, and how many people knew but said nothing. A very good book, but shows you the greed, and hatred people still had for Native Americans, and for all of the treaties that the U.S broke with every tribe and still breaks to this day.

I had the pleasure of reading Mr. Grann's The White Darkness. It was so well written that I immediately went to look for his other books. I was surprised to see that all but one of his books were already on my to be read list. One of the problems with having a too long TBR list is that books can get lost in the shuffle and never read.


Killers of the Flower Moon is another good example of Mr. Gruen's ability to put together a story that is both informative and entertaining. This book read like a crime novel as he pieces together the history of the Osage people and the murders of more than twenty four Osage in a fight over oil discovered on Osage land. It was difficult to read about the treatment of the Osage people but is an important read, if only to remind us of what evil greediness can cause.

My thanks to Doubleday and Netgalley.

David Grann's book was reminder to the populace of a dark time in Oklahoma's history, One that should not be forgotten.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've long been a fan of David Grann's writing and really enjoyed The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon, so I knew I was in for a treat when I got my hands on this one. In the 1920s, the Osage were the richest people in America due to oil located under their land. Unfortunately, that wealth made them all targets. When the Osage started dying off in various ways, by poisoning, in explosions, by gunshots to the head, the newly created FBI knew something fishy was going on. Led by director J. Edgar Hoover and investigated primarily by a former Texas Ranger named Tom White, the organization dove into the mess to find out who was killing off the Osage and why.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was top-notch and the subject matter was fascinating. Riches, greed, lies, murder - this book covers it all. The research was meticulous and I was absolutely fascinated by the story. It read smoothly like fiction and couldn't put it down! I can't wait to get my hands on whatever topic David Grann tackles next.

Killers of the Flower Moon vividly tells the story of a horrifying and tragic time in Oklahoma history. The Reign of Terror was a nightmare for the Osage tribe and the story was not widely known among non-native Oklahomans until the publishing of this book. This book is perfect for a group discussion, personal reflection, and growth of knowledge about a difficult subject.

3.8 - not a big fan of Grann's narrative style, but the tale of these crimes is disheartening and horrifying; a shorter version should be required reading for all US history courses

Excellent historical title. We need more true histories that are readable.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann is a 2017 Doubleday publication.

A Conspiracy is everything that ordinary life is not. It’s the inside game, cold, sure, undistracted, forever closed off to us. We are the flawed ones, the innocents, trying to make some rough sense of the daily jostle. Conspirators have a logic, and a daring beyond our reach. All conspiracies are the same taut story of men who find coherence in a criminal act- Don Delillo

This is a stunning historical true crime 'novel' centered around corrupt and shameful politics, racism, and greed that fueled the ‘Osage reign of terror’, back in the 1920’s and was responsible for the birth of the first ‘Bureau of Investigation”-

When Mollie Burkhart’s sister disappeared, and was later found shot to death, an investigation into her death, as well a bombing and a string of poisonings all aimed at wealthy Osage Indians who benefited from the oil found on their land, began that would eventually expose an incredible conspiracy. This conspiracy involved anyone and everyone, it seems, as the Osage were being systematically killed off. This included law men and lawmakers, all the way to Washington, as white men schemed to take control of the vast wealth the Osage were entitled to.

Finally, with increasing pleas for help the FBI got involved in the case, but rife with corruption, they floundered horribly. Eventually, Tom White was assigned the case by J. Edgar Hoover. His investigation would expose men at their darkest and most unconscionable. It’s hard to imagine Hoover in this light, but he was trying to build his reputation at this time, so solving this case would be a big feather in his cap.

I am ashamed to admit I didn’t know anything about this dark piece of history. This is a true crime accounting, but it reads like a modern -day murder mystery, one you simply can not put down, with enough plot twists to keep the reader right on the edge of their seats. While many true crime books are hard to read due to the creepiness and graphic details of the crimes, this book doesn’t really have that same, ‘don’t read it alone at night’ quality to it, but I was so shocked by what I was reading, I experienced plenty of shock waves, all the same.

Usually, I find myself feeling a great many emotions for crime victims and their families, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt more sympathy than I did for Mollie Burkhart. My God!! That poor woman suffered such an incredible amount of loss, in unimaginable ways.

But, I am also ashamed of the way the Osage was treated by our country. Men of power who schemed to limit access to their money, assigning them guardians, who could easily steal from them… or worse. They were treated like children!! Can you imagine having someone monitoring every penny you spent- down to a tube of toothpaste?? SERIOUSLY??

‘The US government, contending that many Osage were unable to handle their money, had required the Office of Indian Affairs to determine which members of the tribe were capable of managing their trust funds. Over the tribe’s vehement objections, many Osage were deemed incompetent, and were forced to have a local white guardian overseeing and authorizing all their spending, down to the tube of toothpaste they purchased at the corner store. One Osage who had served in World War 1 complained, “I fought in France for this country, and yet I am not allowed even to sign my own checks.'


The history that unfolds in this book riveting. So many innocent lives lost, so many lies, scandals and cover-ups, it’s hard to keep count of it all. But, at the end of the day, this book resonated with me because I learned some eye -opening truths about the Osage, which I knew virtually nothing, and came away with a much better understanding and deep respect for them. It also solidified, unfortunately, my cynicism about our government and what truly lies at the bottom depths of a person’s heart. Greed, racism, and the desire for complete control, at any cost, still governs our lives today. While I did feel a long overdue feeling of triumph, and relief that this story is finally out there, that some justice was served in the end, there are still many who didn’t get that kind of retribution or closure.


This is a MUST READ!! I promise it is one of those books that will give you pause, make you stop to reconsider, and will change your outlook about the past, help one recognize that we are still battling many of those same issues in the present, which could, just maybe, keep history from repeating itself.



‘History is a merciless judge. It lays bare our tragic blunders and foolish missteps and exposes our most intimate secrets, wielding the power of hindsight like an arrogant detective who seems to know the end of the mystery from the onset.”

While this story chilled me right to the bone, it also broke my heart and tapped into a well of emotions, while teaching me a lot about a time in history I so glad I discovered. It's a book we can all take something away from, and hopefully learn from it.


5 stars

I will admit to being in a bit of a reviewing slump when I read this book but I found this completely fascinating and have bought it for my library and I do recommend it a lot.

In the 1920s, the Osage were the richest people in the world (per capita) due to the abundant oil reserves under their lands. Although they enjoyed their riches, one by one, members of the Osage were killed under mysterious circumstances. Separated into three chronicles, David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI tells of a story that’s almost too horrifying to be real.

The first chronicle, which follows Mollie Burkhart, gives the reader an intimate introduction to the Osage and their way of life. By following Mollie, the reader watches the horrors as they unfold first-hand. The second chronicle, which follows Tom White, the lead FBI investigator, allows the reader to take a step back to look at the facts objectively, which makes the case no less compelling. By following White and his team of undercover operatives during their investigation, the reader is provided with an outside perspective on these terrible murders. The third and final chronicle follows the author, David Grann, during his journey in the present-day to understand the events as they happened in the past. The reader quickly learns that the conspiracy that was unraveled by White and his team went far deeper than anyone could have fathomed.

I thought this was such a powerful way to tell a story. By separating the story into chronicles, the reader can not only appreciate the multiple points of view – through Mollie Burkhart, Tom White, and David Grann – but can also the multiple layers that make up this story. As the narrative progresses, the conspiracy becomes incrementally deeper and darker, until the author reveals that the story is still woefully incomplete.

Here is a link to an article published by David Grann in May 2017 which shows a series of “rare archival photos” that were also interspersed throughout the book. These added an additional layer to the narrative, and between these and the author’s style of writing – where he reported the facts and generally avoided explicitly stating his own opinion – made it all the more impactful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

This amazing narrative tells the plight of the Osage Indian tribe, who are stripped mercilessly of their abundant land by the federal government. Eventually, after losing much, they settled in Oklahoma, on unpromising land where eventually oil was discovered. That discovery led to wealth for the Osage nation which bred murders, deception and broken promises.
Woven throughout this fascinating history is the emergence of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, who are brought in to investigate the rash of Osage murders. The story is told through various voices, including that of Mollie Burkhart, a full member of the Osage nation, whose family was decimated by greedy, unscrupulous men.
Grann is a masterful storyteller and the story zips along as if it were fiction. Unfortunately, it is not and the disturbing feeling of loss and injustice permeates the telling.

This is a comprehensive and riveting look at the murder of several Osage Indians in the 1920's and 1930's. Follow the money. The Osage Indians were the wealthiest Americans in the U.S. based on the oil found on their land. They were given land rights that were coveted. A history of murder and crooked investigations led to the Federal Government stepping in and the formation of the FBI. An engrossing look at the early days of various investigative techniques and the early players.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley