Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South

by Richard A. Harpootlian, Shaun Assael

The definitive true “Southern Gothic” account of the life, crimes, conviction, and execution of Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins, the charismatic, brutal, well-liked, remorseless South Carolina serial killer who was dubbed the Charles Manson of the South—written by the prosecutor who brought him to justice.

Of the hundreds of murder cases that noted South Carolina attorney Dick Harpootlian has prosecuted, one in particular haunts him. Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins was a serial killer and rapist, a master manipulator who claimed to have killed over 100 people and is known to have murdered over a dozen, including a toddler, and his own teenage niece. Yet it was on Death Row that he pulled off his most audacious murder—killing another inmate with a military grade explosive.

As personable as he was ruthless, Pee Wee defied easy categories. He killed to avenge minor slights as well as for pleasure, using any convenient method—including stabbing, shooting, poison, suffocation, and drowning. Evidence suggested he forced at least one victim to dig his own grave, stand in it, and be shot.

With escalating callousness, Pee Wee murdered acquaintances, friends, family members, and strangers. Yet within his North Charleston community he was well-liked—a family man who took neighborhood kids to the beach and hosted cookouts. Ice-cold within but outwardly charming, he joked with judges, reporters, and Harpootlian himself, but didn’t hesitate to hatch a plot to kidnap the prosecutor’s daughter in order to extort an escape.

Dig Me a Grave is a haunting look at a prolific, remorseless killer, as well as a provocative exploration of justice and the death penalty.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, History, Adult, Mystery

256 pages, Hardcover

Published December 16, 2025

Reviews

[Jan Agaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm starting to realize I prefer a very specific type of true crime and this was not it, but I'm glad the dude got what he deserved.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down! This is not a genre of books I read, but Pee Wee was one of the stories of my youth. I grew up in Sumter in the 70’s. My Dad actually pointed out Pee Wee’s hearse going down Briarwood Dr (where we lived).
This book delves into Pee Wee’s life and his haunts which made it very personal for me as I know where each of these places are and lived near some of them. I plan to do a Pee Wee Gaskins “road trip” in the future - it will just be a day trip as he didn’t travel far from his home in Prospect Corner.
I thought the background information on the people he murdered was well warranted - It brought life to them and this book.
Well researched - how could it not be since it’s written by the lead Prosecutor who had personal insight into Pee Wee himself - it almost bordered on a friendship.
I highly recommend this book.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

~thank you to the publisher, the author & NetGalley for giving me a chance to read & review this book~

I really enjoy true crime. I had never even heard of this serial killer before until I got the ARC for this book. It was very interesting to learn about the crimes and his childhood/upbringing. The POV is from the prosecutor who brought the killer to justice. (Also who it’s written by) which was really cool. I gave it 3 stars because I felt like some of the backstory wasn’t super necessary but also because it dragged on for too long, too many pages. It was really interesting though to read about this.

[Beau · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary arc of Dig Me a Grave. All opinions expressed are my own.*

I read, watch and listen to a lot of true crime, so naturally I knew of Pee Wee Gaskins. However, I was grateful to learn how little I actually knew about the case until I read Harpootlian’s account of the case.

Reading from the prosecutors point of view brought a very intriguing angle and it only took me a day or two before I settled into a reading pace of a chapter a day with my morning coffee, letting Harpootlian’s account of the trial and Gaskins crimes and upbringing wake up my brain more than the caffeine did.

There was a point when I didn’t understand why the author suddenly would talk about an unrelated case, and I thought ‘oh, here we go,’ until the connection suddenly made sense and had me appreciate the smooth way I didn’t see what was coming straight away.

The way the book was written and compiled, felt smooth and easy to follow. The facts that could’ve been boring, fascinated me, and I’m really appreciative of the story Harpootlian and Assael provided us.
With the mixture of countless wives, teenage pregnancies, carnival workers, unhinged choices and plots, and just Gaskins himself as a character I don’t think anyone could’ve made up, this is a must-read for true crime readers.

[Brianna Franklin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for my review.

The premise of this story is very interesting, I unfortunately found it confusing the way it was written. There were a lot of people involved (I know it’s a true story but I think a lot of fluff could be taken out for the readers) and a lot of jumping back and forth in the storyline.

Readers are immersed in the story of Pee Wee Gaskin, a serial killer who faced the death penalty in the 90s after years of cunning planning kept him out of prison. This was a very interesting story, the minds of murders is something nobody will understand.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, Gritty and Gripping

Dig Me a Grave was a dark and gripping read that had me hooked right from the start. I really enjoyed the way the author built up the atmosphere creepy, tense, and full of unease. The characters felt real, each with their own secrets, which kept me turning the pages to see what would unfold next. The pacing was spot on, with twists that surprised me without feeling over the top. It had just the right amount of detail to draw me into the setting without slowing the story down. I came away from this book feeling both unsettled and satisfied which is exactly what I look for in a good mystery. If you like your crime and suspense with a dark edge, this one is well worth picking up. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jeanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Dig Me a Grave, you are given the true crime story of Pee Wee Gaskins. This killer was disturbing and disgusting and had no remorse for his actions. One part stuck out to me where they assumed that Pee Wee had a low IQ. I don't believe that he did. He was a master manipulator and narcissist.

The writing was more straight forward. In other True Crime that I have read they really make you feel what is was like to be in the situations, to understand what the victims went through and all of the emotions that go with it. I didn't feel that way with this book. The narration lacked any sense of inflection or emotion. While the book was mostly about Pee Wee Gaskins, it was also about the author Dick Harpoolian. He went through why he was so determined to indict Pee Wee and get him sentence the death. To be honest, as someone who watch the entire Murdaugh Case live which Harpoolian was the defense lawyer, that it seemed like the book is trying refine his image. It screams, "Nooo, I don't support murderers, look what I did with Pee Wee!" At least to me it feels like a PR stunt in a way.

Overall I am giving it 3.25 stars because I was interested in Pee Wee's story and understanding why he did what he did. There was a lot of interesting facts about the case in the book which is why I rated it what I did. I personally could have done without Harpoolian's side of the story or any of this opinions or beliefs on it.

[Jonathan Tokay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dick Harpootlian gives his honest "no strings attached" outlook on one of the most haunting true crime cases of the Carolinas.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Non-Fiction book. This is a story about a serial killer "Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins". I read this book by listening to the audiobook, and I enjoyed the audiobook. I found this book very interesting. I love true crime stuff, and this book covers how Pee Wee crimes, court trials, and execution. I think this book was well done. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

[Victoria (storieswithtorie) · Rating 3 out of 5]

What blew my mind most was the sheer number of people he’s believed to have killed. We’re not talking one or two victims… this man is tied to dozens of deaths, and he openly bragged about even more. The way he moved through the South, collecting victims, manipulating everyone around him, and staying one step ahead for so long is honestly terrifying.

I didn’t love the narration. It felt scattered and a little hard to follow, but the story itself kept me locked in. Every time I thought I understood the scope of what he’d done, another layer came out and I was just sitting there like… how did this actually happen?

So even though the telling wasn’t perfect, the scale of his violence and the way he operated in plain sight made this such a wild read.

[Selena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very interesting discussion on the death penalty! I also learned a lot about a truly horrible serial killer who I had never heard of before. I enjoyed the other criminal justice asides that Harpootlian made as well since I am a true crime fanatic. All that said I don't agree with all his methods and everyone he has defended, but over all an very interesting and engaging read.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It’s hard to rate a story like this, one relating the complex story of true evil. Dick seems like he has been haunted by this story his whole life and I can understand why. I hope this book brought him some peace. It was interesting and appalling, and brings to question one of our fundamental disagreements in this country- the appropriateness of the death penalty.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very disturbing book on serial killer Pee Wee Gaskins. The book kept my interest. I had no idea the man had 6 marriages during his life. It talked about his life and the murders he committed as well as his death in the electric chair.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing me a copy of this book to read and review**

This book was an interesting inside view of the justice system from the eyes of a prosecutor as he tells of the crimes of the serial killer Pee Wee Gaskins. One think that I found notable was that though this is one of South Carolinas most prolific and notorious killers- and I live very close to where most of these crimes had been committed- I had never heard of him when starting the book. (The crimes were committed in the 60s and 70s).

The book is interesting but somewhat dry. Names and dates and even the timeline of the numerous crimes can get confusing and I believe the story could have used some additional editing to make a more linear story. Most of the victims and criminals in the story are pretty one dimensional. This makes sense to some degree as not much was probably known by the author but it does make for dry reading.

The most confusing thing to me was that there are several references by the author about how this story was written to explain why he is a champion for the death penalty- implying that its something that really weighs on him. I can understand the weight, but I'm not sure how the story really has anything to do with that personal decision.

All in all it was interesting and enjoyable though a bit dry. If I could give it 3.5 stars that would be my rating.

[Stefani Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read a lot of books about serial killers over the years, I was excited to dive into this one. I have not heard of PeeWee Gaskins and found the brief synopsis fascinating. A man who managed to murder someone with explosives while on death row?? Sign me up!

The best part of this book was the actual conversations and discovery of Gaskins. I found Gaskins to be utterly fascinating. He was completely depraved and yet believed himself to be an average sort of fellow. He treated his victims with utter disdain but was perfectly polite when he wanted to be. This kind of contradiction is very appealing to read about and boggles the mind.

Read the entire review at The UntidyBookshelf

[Bill reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read Pee Wee Gaskins autobiography a few years ago and so I followed up with this book which was written by the prosecutor who sent him to death row. Gaskins most likely killed at least thirteen people, including an infant. Ironically, it was the murder of a fellow inmate via an ingenious explosive device that finally cooked his goose in the form of the electric chair.
The writer keeps the story flowing with accounts of the soap opera-like life of our colorful subject. A scorecard is needed to keep track of his six wives and numerous offspring. A plethora of teenage pregnancies and fellow carnival workers makes for a portrait of our unseemly underclass.
My favorite criminal is a man with the unlikely name of James Brown who was interrupted while watching an NFL broadcast by a pair of female Mormon missionaries. The enraged superfan killed the pair and raped their corpses after game time. He was a fellow inmate of Gaskins.
Dig Me a Grave is a good read.

[Nɪᴋᴋɪ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure how Iv never heard of this serial killer - and I literally always watch crime documentary’s and the ID channel, but needless to say, wow. This guy was a straight
Up psycho!!! Class a manipulator and far from dumb. The story and plot was gripping and held my attention!

The narration - Meh. I should have read this book and not listened to the audio just because I felt like it could have been narrated way better - it was pretty monotone.

[Gracie Garris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not outstanding. I wanted a nonfiction book and got one

[Sara P]

Fascinating!
Thank you Goodreads for this ARC.

[Nikki Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4 stars for content; 3 stars for audio narration*

(The author narrates his book and while he has a very nice voice, it’s very monotone and too calm/relaxing for this book. I hate to use the word “boring”, but I would have liked a little more oomph to the narration. I would definitely recommend reading the hard copy for this one— such a wild, bizarre, unsettling story. And so great to have Dick Harpootlian’s firsthand account; he did an excellent job presenting Pee Wee’s story, as well as his own. True crime fans will enjoy this one for sure!)

[Melissa Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

I enjoyed this book. It read very easily and captivated my attention. I read it in a little over 24 hours.

[Dick Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story of a prolific serial killer, written by the attorney who prosecuted him on his death penalty case. I found it very sad to read the book as both the killer, his victims, and many of the side characters in the book clearly had very limited chances to succeed in life. This in no way defends the murderer but points out how where we were born, and the opportunities (or lack thereof) we receive, help to define what we become.

[Paloma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love a book that teaches me something new. Dig Me A Grave is an account of the serial killer Donald " Pee Wee" Gaskins. I had never heard of this serial killer before and I enjoyed learning all about him. From childhood to the man hunt, this books gives you all the details and perspective of who he was and who he became. The POV of the prosecutor who brought Gaskins to justice was very informative. Dark, gritty and suspenseful, this book had me interested from the start.
Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this eArc. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Jake Assael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is what true crime is all about. Pee Wee Gaskins is one of the most devious serial killers of all time.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dig Me a Grave by Dick Harpootlian is a hard-edged Southern legal thriller rooted in the author’s firsthand experience as a prosecutor. The novel delves into the death penalty (challenges and changes to the law related to), racial tension, and political ambition, using a brisk pace and sharp dialogue to drive the story forward. It gives an inside look into the prison system, revealing both the strengths and weaknesses surrounding prison security, living conditions, and inmate interactions.

Harpootlian’s insider perspective gives the courtroom scenes credibility and weight, even when the prose is more functional than refined. The result is a gritty, engaging read that will appeal to fans of realistic crime fiction and morally charged legal dramas.

[Brandys_bookography · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dig Me a Grave was such an interesting tale of a serial killer. Each person in the story had their own agendas for doing what they did some to protect the secrets that they had and others to protect themselves. Donald "Pee Wee" Gaskins was a pretty scary dude that also must have come off to some as harmless, but he was anything but that.

There is also a peek into the justice system when the death penalty is at play, and how prosecutors and their families are sometimes threatened. It was a mix of the back stories of those involved and how people in the killers life became loss threads essential as well as the description and sometimes the reason that each person was killed.

I enjoyed the narrator because it was told from his perspective which made it all the more interesting.

Thank you NetGalley, Tantor Media, and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read and listen to this story early. All of my opinions are my own.

[Salty Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to alc this book. I have not heard about this killer previously so it was an interesting story. With Peewee's history I am surprised it is not a more discussed case. It was interesting to hear it from the prosecution side. I do like the perspective of what is involved in the capture and prosecution of the criminals in these true crime stories. I did like that the author is the one who narrated the book. There were a lot of details, some may find it excessive and unnecessary.

[Karen Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donald Henry Parrott-later, changed to Gaskins and eventually naming himself Pee Wee is a name synonymous with violence, hard and just plain mean.

Raised in a house with zero love, suffering physical, sexual and mental abuse did not leave many options open for a normal life.

A proclivity for much younger girls, mostly prepubescent, would eventually lead to his downfall.

As with most true crime retellings there are crimes committed, and the life and times of chaos at the hands of a lunatic.

Parts of this presentation follow that while other parts seem very set on self promotion, which isn’t necessary.

Thanks to Kensington Books for this opportunity to read and review.

[Adam‘’s book reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

Dig Me a Grave recounts the story of Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins, one of the South’s most notorious killers, told by the man who prosecuted him. Richard A. Harpootlian blends true crime with legal memoir, tracing his own journey from idealistic defense attorney to death penalty advocate. The book also captures a critical moment in U.S. history when the Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment, forcing states to rewrite their laws and reshape their systems.

The prologue begins with a gruesome double murder, setting a graphic but purposeful tone that underscores the horror of Gaskins’s crimes. Harpootlian doesn’t shy away from disturbing detail—it’s often uncomfortable but effective. The book alternates between Gaskins’s story and the prosecutor’s, a structure that adds depth but can feel like a dual biography at times.

I didn’t love the moments where Harpootlian breaks the fourth wall, as they disrupt the flow, but I appreciated his honesty and insight. Dig Me a Grave is unsettling, thought-provoking, and deeply human—a look at both a killer’s mind and a justice system in transition.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing an advance copy.

[Jannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was Given the chance to read this book by netgalley and I found it to be a gripping true crime novel by Dick Harpootlian; former South Carolina state senator and attorney who went on to work for the infamous “Maurdaughs” of South Carolina.

We read about the upbringing and childhood of Pee Wee Gaskins and as Dick fought to prosecute him for the sickening murders that he committed but also fought with his own thoughts on the death penalty. For true crime fanatics who haven’t heard or read about it “Donald Henry Gaskins”, the life he lead and the vile crimes he committed, then this is another book for you. For some it solidifies the desire for the death penalty and for others may still wrestle with whether it should continue.