Killers of the Flower Moon takes us to 1920s Oklahoma, where members of the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe forcibly relocated from their ancestral lands, suddenly become the wealthiest people per capita in the world. Why? Oil, and lots of it, was discovered beneath their new territory. 

Their unprecedented wealth, however, spelt trouble for the Osage Nation. They became targets of a horrifying chain of murders, with at least 60 people dying under suspicious circumstances in what’s now known as the “Reign of Terror”.

This novel unpacks the true story of the Osage Nation murders and takes a deeply unsettling look at the dark facts of American history. It’s not just a story about murder, although there are many; it’s a study of racism, greed, and systemic abuse, told by Grann with poise and gravity.

Mollie Burkhart was an Osage woman who watched as her family members died one by one – blown up, poisoned, and shot. She is the emotional centre of Killers of the Flower Moon, embodying absolute strength and grief in the face of unimaginable betrayal.

Grann’s genius lies in the way he builds the horror over time. We’re not bombarded by crime scenes; instead, the murders are set against the broader injustice that enabled them to happen. Many Osage citizens were deemed by the government to be “incompetent”, so they could be placed under white guardianship. This conveniently handed the financial reins to the very people who sought to destroy them.

A layered narrative is constructed through a mesh of FBI files, court transcripts, and personal letters, exposing the institutionalised racism that caused the Reign of Terror and halted the hammer of justice until it was too late.

The story expands as federal agents of the budding FBI enter the scene. Tom White leads them – a quiet, methodical former Texas Ranger handpicked by a young J. Edgar Hoover. Their investigation reads like a complex Western-noir procedural, filled with hidden motives, cover-ups, and double agents. But while the suspense is gripping, Grann never allows the ‘drama’ to overshadow the real human cost.

Roar back into collective memory it did, with Grann’s novel sparking much conversation and being selected as one of the best or notable books of 2017 by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and more. Not only that, but this powerful story caught the attention of Hollywood royalty, Martin Scorsese.

The film adaptation directed by Scorsese was released in October 2023 to critical acclaim. With cast members including Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, this three-hour epic was not only star-studded but beautifully shot and rich in its narrative capture. 

As a companion piece to the book, it’s a powerful reminder that truth can be just as – if not more – compelling than fiction.

At its heart, Killers of the Flower Moon is a story about erasure: of people, of culture, of truth. Grann’s meticulous reporting brings this into stark focus, reminding us how and by whom history is written. There’s no melodrama here, no manufactured sentiment, just facts laid bare – and this is precisely what makes it so haunting. 

So, if you’re interested in crime stories with gravity or historical narratives with the pulse of a thriller, consider this essential reading. It will leave you reeling and reflecting long after the final word.

Other works by David Grann

If Killers of the Flower Moon has you as hooked as it did us, there’s more of Grann’s brilliance to explore:

• The Lost City of Z (2009).
• The White Darkness (2018).
• The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder (2023).

Explore more true crime and historical thrillers

At Victoria Freudenheim, we love to review compelling, high-stakes stories that stick with you – whether they’re fresh historical investigations or nostalgic faves from years gone by. Browse our library of top-rated reads to uncover your next powerful page turner, or check out our blog for our latest bookish deep-dives!