Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South by Richard A. Harpootlian with Shaun Assael

With the nickname, "Pee Wee," you may not think much if you'd met Donald Henry Gaskins. He wasn't quite 5'5" and just 130 pounds. But, you'd be wrong to thing this unintimidating exterior didn't mask a horrifyingly violent interior.

Pee Wee boasted that he killed over 100 victim before he was put to death in 1991. While that number is highly disputable, he was convicted of killing 10--one of whom was a fellow inmate that he murdered with C4 explosive. So, there is no doubt that Pee Wee has a serial killer who killed whom he pleased--including his teenaged niece--with what was available. When he did not have something available--such as when he was on death row--he still managed to get his hands on deadly weapons (like the aforementioned C4).

Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South was written by Richard A. Harpootlian--the prosecutor who ultimately convicted Pee Wee. Even after decades, Harpootlian is still haunted by Pee Wee. Harpootlian details in this thorough account of Pee Wee's crimes just how the murderous man was able to put up a charming façade, easily joking with those around him even when they were working to put him behind bars.

Harpootlian even remembers how Pee Wee would smile and try and laugh with him. But that mask ultimately dropped when Pee Wee attempted to arrange the kidnapping of Harpootlian's young daughter in a (thankfully) unsuccessful attempt at forcing leniency in his sentence. Harpootlian also weaves in details of how he struggled with this case, working in crime as a whole, as well as his evolving views on the death penalty.

While the prose is at times brutal--and some of the harshest words are direct quotes from Pee Wee--Harpootlian does not back down from the ugliness of what Pee Wee did, and, what happened to Pee Wee beforehand. That said, it is important for potential readers to know that there are graphic descriptions in this book of crimes Pee Wee committed, claimed to have committed, or had had committed against him.

If you want to learn about a lesser-known American serial killer, Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South by Richard A. Harpootlian with Shaun Assael is an engrossing read.

Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South by Richard A. Harpootlian with Shaun Assael, Citadel