Those still exist?
I love them!
They seriously lack perspective.
Despite different opinions, all of the statements above are ones that might come to mind when considering Western novels. The genre has been mixed with other genres over the years but, as Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann—which was recently adapted into a movie in 2023—proves, the genre is still alive.
On the contrary, true-crime western books address more perspectives than in a typical novel. Killers of the Flower Mound is written in a story-like manner in the third person, as Grann explores the mysteries of the brutal Osage murders, the corruption of power, and the employment of the FBI and its similar, less organized predecessors.
This allows the reader to properly move through the story without the constraints of a human narrator. An exception to this rule appears, however: the book has three ‘chronicles,’ and though the first two are purely in the past, the last chronicle is in the perspective of the author himself, as he investigates the town the novel is centered around, speaking to people such as an important character(Mollie Burkhart)’s descendant, and exploring the fate of other characters(specifically Ernest Burkhart’s life after imprisonment).
The story starts with Mollie Burkhart, and the death of her sister. Immediately, suspicions arise, especially as another wealthy Osage man’s body is discovered. Justice requires a long battle, but it doesn’t end there: a series of murders follows, Mollie’s loved ones keep disappearing around her. The betrayal and loss is truly heartbreaking, and only when all is solved can Mollie, and the readers with her, be relieved. Grann spends a considerable amount of time slowly explaining it all in the 416 page book, from the Osage’s immense finances(and the desperation of outsiders to control that wealth) to the political systems in place(such as guardianship) and their corruption. The characters’ lives are deeply explored, as well, as the mystery of the Osage murders is explained.
One of the most overwhelming things about the book were the characters. The story stretches across several years, even jumping to the past to establish context, in some cases. For example, when describing the life of the heroic Tom White, ex-Texas Ranger and the man that eventually brings the Osage murder cases to a close and boosts the newfound FBI. Because of this, there were so many characters that showed up(some only for a sentence or two) which could be confusing. One example of this was the name William Hale. After being referred to as William for a long time, the character was suddenly Bill Hale. It wasn’t exactly a ‘read-in-one-sitting’ type of novel, but the heavy novel is a good fit for nonfiction lovers who enjoy a thrilling, mysterious true-crime.
