Killers of the Flower Moon, published in 2017, is a nonfiction book by journalist David Grann. It follows the investigation of several high-profile murders within the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe in Oklahoma.
The book begins in 1920, with an overview of the Osage tribe. Grann says that the tribe is wealthy from the money they received for their oil-rich reservation land. It then pivots to discussing the book's protagonist, Mollie Burkhart. It describes the suspicious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of her sister Anna. Anna is found dead by a creek and foul play is suspected. The book follows Mollie's experience of grief during the trial and subsequent investigation. She also begins to fear for her life as other murders occur in the community. At the same time, the book describes FBI agent Tom White's pursuit of Anna's killer. He discovers a conspiracy, masterminded by a wealthy, white landowner, to murder Osage tribe members and claim the rights to their land. He eventually pins the murder on landowner William Hale and successfully convicts him for the crime. In the book's final third, Grann widens the scope of the narrative and recounts numerous similar murders that went unsolved and, often, completely covered up. Grann reveals that while this individual case was brought to a close, systemic violence against the Osage tribe went virtually unchecked or addressed.
Published in 2017, the book received nearly universal critical acclaim. It was named a Best Book of the Year by The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, GQ, NPR, and Lit Hub. It was also a New York Times Notable Book. In a review for The New York Times, author Dave Eggers wrote, "in these last pages, Grann takes what was already a fascinating and disciplined recording of a forgotten chapter in American history, and with the help of contemporary Osage tribe members, he illuminates a sickening conspiracy that goes far deeper than those four years of horror. It will sear your soul." In addition, the book was chosen as a finalist for the National Book Award and won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best true crime book. The book was adapted into a 2023 film by director Martin Scorsese, starring Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, Roberto DeNiro, and Jesse Plemons.
