Killers of the Flower Moon

What a tragedy.

Amazing book for a very sad story that shows how greed can make humans do unthinkable sins

Utterly compelling. I picked this up because people said it's nonfiction that reads like a novel, and that's pretty close to the mark. I needed to find out what happened next, and I was fully invested in the personal stories. At times I was astonished at developments, and throughout I kept wondering how I'd never heard about any of this.

I highly recommend reading this to learn about the Osage nation, their paradoxical luck (good and bad) at the hands of the U.S. government, and the investigation of what was happening to them. You can find it all from other sources, but Grann does an amazing job of storytelling, and extends the story with additional research that connects points left unexplored by the original case.

Fascinating and horrifying view of the long con and cover-up of the Osage Indian murders over oil money and mineral rights in the late 1910s through the 1920s, though unofficially the Reign of Terror extended well beyond that in both directions, since the now-FBI did little to hold anyone accountable and almost all of the investigators, doctors and lawmen involved had their grubby paws in the honeypot. The audio was very good. My only complaint is that I wish the author hadn't switched over to first person for the last quarter or so of the book - it completely took me out of the narrative and irritated me as a former journalism student (don't insert yourself into your story!).

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 perhaps...

Really interesting topic, but just not that grippingly told...

Interesting subject matter but the writing itself is uneven in tone.

Wow what a story!! It is one more dark mark in the story of the United States and indigenous populations. And Grann tells the story in a very linear way and you think it's done. Then you get to section 3 and there's so much more to the story. I'm glad they were able to solve a couple of the murders, but it really wasn't enough. This was a story that needed to be told.

I'm not a huge fan of the “True Crime” genre, but this entry appears on enough “best of” lists that it grabbed my attention. I'd also heard the author on a podcast sharing a sketch of the remarkable and shocking “reign of terror” described in this non-fiction book. The Osage Indians in the Plains States got rich in the early 20th century due to the discovery of oil underneath their nation. Although they were able to enjoy their wealth for a while, eventually numerous and notable members of the tribe were murdered. When the local law enforcement authorities were unable or unwilling to bring the killer(s) to justice, the U.S. government sent outside agents from the fledgling agency which would later be called the FBI.

Two intertwined stories are masterfully woven together by Grann - the Osage murders and the hunt for those involved in these crimes and how the FBI was formed by this investigation. The story becomes a page turner due to Grann's abundant use of details in describing the colorful characters and shocking events. Ample period photos add to the drama. Tremendous research and analysis is clearly at work. Once the historical story is told, a substantial epilogue is offered relating how Grann's findings and his communication of these with living descendants of those who were murdered brought healing and closure to wounds eight decades later. An engaging and eye-opening read which should not be missed and which lives up to it's “best of” status!

Solid 4 stars. The book is split up into three sections of unequal lengths – what happens to the Osage, what happens when the Department of Justice gets involved, and how the journalist pursued additional research and evidence for some of the unsolved matters. I started to lose interest after the second section wrapped up, though this may be due to the change in narrators. (There are three narrators for the audiobook.)

A fascinating glimpse into harrowing crimes and the impact on the Osage long-term. I also think that it looked very closely at the stereotype of “drunk Indians” and turned it on its head.