Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Hello fellow True Crime readers,


Welcome to our discussion about Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, a non-fiction selection, by David Grann, your discussion leader is Joan.
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about spoilers

Please note: If you have not finished reading the book spoilers are permitted in this discussion from the start. If you would like to use the spoiler formatting it can be found on the top right of the comment box in the "(some html is ok)" menu.
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Summary

A twisting, haunting true-life murder mystery about one of the most monstrous crimes in American history.

In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Indian 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, they began to be killed off. One Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, watched as her family was murdered. Her older sister was shot. Her mother was then slowly poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances.

In this last remnant of the Wild West—where oilmen like J. P. Getty made their fortunes and where desperadoes such as Al Spencer, “the Phantom Terror,” roamed – virtually anyone who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll surpassed more than twenty-four Osage, the newly created F.B.I. took up the case, in what became one of the organization’s first major homicide investigations. But the bureau was then notoriously corrupt and initially bungled the case. Eventually, 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 one of the only Native American agents in the bureau. They infiltrated the region, struggling to adopt the latest modern techniques of detection. Together with the Osage they began to expose one of the most sinister conspiracies in American history.

In Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann revisits a shocking series of crimes in which dozens of people were murdered in cold blood. The book is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, as each step in the investigation reveals a series of sinister secrets and reversals. But more than that, it is a searing indictment of the callousness and prejudice toward Native Americans that allowed the murderers to operate with impunity for so long. Killers of the Flower Moon is utterly riveting, but also emotionally devastating.

Is there anyone who studied any part of the content of this book when they attended school? That was my initial reaction...can this all be true? I never learned anything about this in school. I never even knew there had been conflict over naming the FBI the FEDERAL bureau because people didn't want Government overstepping into Federal authority.

Later I learned that it is all true and learned a cousin of mine in Oklahoma has a step-son who married an Osage woman with head rights.

It is a fascinating story and history we all need to read about--one that I sure never learned in school and not even studying history in college.

I never learned, nor heard about this in school. Just the general that you do learn about the Native Americans and their movement to different reservations. I did learn about land rights later in college, so that is how I knew about the oil rights. Maybe this would have made history class with Mr. Bowman a little more interesting. 😉

Joan wrote: "Is there anyone who studied any part of the content of this book when they attended school? That was my initial reaction...can this all be true? I never learned anything about this in school. I nev..."

I lived in OK for a year and never heard a thing about it. Don't remember studying it in school either.

I read this book a few years back but that was the first time I'd heard any of this. American schools/textbooks have gaping holes in what they consider history. Much of our history has been swept under the rug, especially when the facts would tarnish the image of the good ole boys club(s). I know that sounds cynical.

Very sad book.. Waiting to watch the movie now

Gem wrote: "I read this book a few years back but that was the first time I'd heard any of this. American schools/textbooks have gaping holes in what they consider history. Much of our history has been swept u..."

You don't sound cynical...that is fact and history we hide in our schools...at least until now.

Joan wrote: "Gem wrote: "I read this book a few years back but that was the first time I'd heard any of this. American schools/textbooks have gaping holes in what they consider history. Much of our history has ..."

I'm married to a History teacher, the things I've learned, ESPECIALLY about the Native American ticks me off. 🤷‍♀️

This was a compelling discussion and read. I look forward to this discussion. But, I do have a question just about how things work here...I noticed that my review was not posted amongst the members reviews. Any reason? Thank you. 🙂

Karen wrote: "This was a compelling discussion and read. I look forward to this discussion. But, I do have a question just about how things work here...I noticed that my review was not posted amongst the members..."

Where did you post your review?

I will have to check it out.

I wonder if someone can tell me what happened to the nominations for November? There was never any poll and the nomination threads are locked and I've searched but I can't find any information. Sorry for interfering with this discussion but I honestly don't know where I should post this question. Thank you 🙏

˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜ wrote: "Karen wrote: "This was a compelling discussion and read. I look forward to this discussion. But, I do have a question just about how things work here...I noticed that my review was not posted among..."
It is here on Goodreads. 🙂 Next to my name it says, rated it 4 stars. You can click on that and it will take you to my review.

This is not the kind of story American high school history books are likely to highlight. Slavery is a controversial enough school topic which makes the colonization of North American and our treatment of Native American tribes another subject that is easy to avoid.

I found the subject extremely interesting but also disheartening in how our political and legal systems essentially set up a process that treated the Osage tribe members as irresponsible children who couldn't be trusted with money. This enabled unscrupulous bankers and business men the ability to murder and steal in order to enrich themselves knowing the local law enforcement shared their racial views and would only put forth a minimal effort to investigate.

On the positive side of the equation, Tom White stands out how we prefer to view our public officials, brave and honest. Having just finished a biography of Hoover, it was not surprising that his primary concern was building the FBI into a national entity where image was one of his paramount objectives. Tom White is not presented in nearly the positive light in the biography as he is in this book.

A very good book and I was tempted to go to the movie until I heard it was 3 1/2 hours and the main focus is on one of the men who helped murder family members of his Osage wife.