Killers of the Flower Moon
By David Grann
The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Vintage Books, 2017.
Summary of Killers of the Flower Moon book by David Grann
Exposing the harrowing conspiracy to steal the wealth of the Osage Nation and the federal organization that finally unearthed the truth about the corrupt officials that covered up multiple killings of Osage Native Americans. Please be aware: This summary contains references to violence and murder which may be triggering to some readers.
Chapters in Killers of the Flower Moon book summary
What do you get from this book? Revelations about one of the most shameful and destructive schemes in American history
Once a valuable resource was found on Osage land, tribe members like Mollie Burkhart were granted allotments that made them rich
White Americans were envious of the Osage fortune—so envious that they resorted to murdering them?
Mollie pressed investigators to look into Anna’s death, even as her mother grew more ill, but little progress was made
Rewards and private eyes didn’t encourage thorough investigations, and even more deaths of Osage and their allies piled up
The current level of terror was upped by another murder, and followed by yet another horrific crime against the Osage
After the Smiths were murdered, a white attorney attempted to help the Osage, risking his own life in the process
It took two years of inept investigations before the federal government tasked J. Edgar Hoover’s bureau with the Osage case
Tom White put together a team of operatives to travel to Oklahoma and go undercover to find the truth
A few revelations pointed at money being the main motive for the murders, which meant Mollie was in grave danger
It seemed everyone in Oklahoma was in good with Hale, but some brave outlaws decided to testify to his wrongdoings
While Hale stayed silent during questioning, Ernest eventually cracked, revealing several crucial clues incriminating his uncle
Incredibly, Ernest recanted his confession, and White had to try another tactic to get the convictions he sought
The towns may no longer be booming, but the repercussions of the killings will remain with descendants of the Osage forever
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
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Killers of the Flower Moon — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read Killers of the Flower Moon book
- law enforcement officers
- true crime fans
- activism journalists
- anyone interested in how the FBI was formed
About the author of Killers of the Flower Moon
David Grann
David Grann is an award-winning writer and contributor to The New Yorker magazine. His novel The Lost City of Z and his story “Old Man and the Gun” have both been turned into films, and Killers of the Flower Moon, upon its publication, was considered one of the best books of the year by The Washington Post and The New York Times.
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