Wk 12 Prompt

 I’m about to start reading this nonfiction title for my branch’s book club next month, so I tried to complete the matrix to the best of my ability!

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

Highly narrative (reads like fiction).

2. What is the subject of the book? 

The subject of the book is the murders that occurred within the Osage Indian Nation in the 1920s. Suspected to be largely fueled by the oil (and riches) found on the tribe land, the FBI (a fairly new/underdeveloped branch of the justice system) is asked by the tribe to step in and investigate the suspicious deaths.

3. What type of book is it?

 A nonfiction true crime/history book told in a narrative/fiction-like way.

4. Articulate appeal:

What is the pacing of the book? 

The pacing is fairly fast; the narrative reads more like a fiction book than nonfiction.

Describe the characters of the book.

The following people are the “main players” to my knowledge:

Annie Brown and Mollie Burkhart are two victims of the Osage murder conspiracy – their murders push the community to reach out to the FBI to help investigate their (and several others’) deaths. The two sisters are daughters in a family that has found riches in the oil of the Osage tribe.

Morrison is a crooked bureau informant.

J. Edgar Hoover of course makes an appearance, being the new director of the FBI at the time.

Tom White, a former Texas Ranger, is a lawful investigator sent by the FBI to investigate the Osage murders.

William Hale, former cattleman and well loved member of the community, is the deputy sheriff.

How does the story feel?

The story feels disturbing, mysterious, and compelling.

What is the intent of the author?

The intent of the author is to educate the reader about the darker side of U.S. history and expose another aspect of the murders that the FBI did not discover.

What is the focus of the story?

The focus of the story is trying to solve who committed all of the murders.

Does the language matter? 

Yes. The language not only provides readers with knowledge/clues but also weaves that information into the narrative; it makes the book read as if it were a novel.

Is the setting important and well described?

The setting is what fuels the story – people are being killed because of the oil found on the land. The scenery of the land is described so the reader may imagine the land where the tribe lives.

Are there details and, if so, what?

A number of details about the murders, the lives of the characters, the relationships between everyone, and the discoveries of the FBI about who was involved and why.

Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? 

Yes; includes map of Osage County in Oklahoma and other images of the area/pictures of the “characters” of the story.

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?

All of the above – the book invites the reader to understand the lives of the Osage tribe at the time, learn about these murders they likely had not heard of before, and experience the FBI’s investigation step by step.

5. Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?

1. Nonfic that reads like fic

2. Real life murder mystery plot

3. Disturbing/gritty tone

Grann, D. (2017, April 18). Killers of the flower moon: the Osage murders and the birth of the FBI. Doubleday.