Mollie Burkhart is a member of the Osage tribe. She has three sisters, all of whom are murdered during the Reign of Terror against the Osage people. Her mother is also murdered. She is the entry point into the harrowing story of greed, murder, and prejudice. She married three times, first to another Osage man in an arranged marriage with no legal standing. Next, she married Ernest Burkhart, a white man. They have three children together. Mollie is a caring and loving daughter, sister, and mother. She is the leader of her family and straddles a fine line between the white and Osage world. She is described as different from other Osages, who more readily adopted white trends:

Unlike many of her friends, who shunned Osage clothing, Mollie wrapped a traditional blanket around her shoulders. She also didn’t cut her hair in a flapper bob but let her long black hair flow over her back, revealing her striking face, with its high cheekbones and big brown eyes (13).

After the murder of her sister, Mollie uses her substantial wealth to hire private investigators and attempt to uncover the truth. Throughout this time, the people closest to Mollie poison and betray her.