The book by Richard A. Harpootlian with Shaun Assael is about the crimes of Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins with the main focus on the investigation to bring him to justice.
The book will come out Dec 16, 2025.
Gaskins, a serial killer who operated in South Carolina, was executed on September 6, 1991.
The book is a fast-paced true crime story. However, it can also make the reader lose interest when the author shifts the focus and inserts parts that read like a memoir. It also adds characters who are not critical to the unfolding of the story.
Donald Henry Gaskins
Gaskins’ life started chaotically and until he died, it lacked any sense of stability. He was a serial rapist and murderer who used various murder methods to end the lives of many people who had become an obstacle in his life. He can be tied to at least fifteen murders but in later interviews he bragged that the real number was closer to one hundred.
In this article, you can read about the last remains that were found. They belonged to Martha Ann Dicks.
As an illegitimate child, small (hence the nickname) for his age, neglected by his mother, abused by family, uneducated, Gaskins resorted to crime at an early age. It led to years in a reform school where the abuse continued. He escaped, married several times, and had children. Whether his marriages and divorces were legal is unknown.
He was a conman who, even while incarcerated knew how to make the system work for him. As a hired gun, Gaskins killed fellow prisoner Rudolph Tyner. How he managed to do that is a fascinating read.
No timeline, no exact dates, or names
There is no timeline in the book about Gaskins’ criminal career. A timeline in any true crime book strengthens the story. The reader knows exactly where they are, which case we are talking about, and in what order things are happening.
In the same spirit, it is frustrating not to have dates for marriages, divorces, victims’ names, etc. The book too often leaves the reader wondering.
Quite a few details and characters mentioned in the book are not critical to further the plot. That is also the main critique online about this book.
The author has a website however, at the time of writing there were no resources, references, timelines, etc. posted related to this book.
Capital Punishment
The book does an outstanding job explaining the law regarding the sentencing phase that follows after the guilty verdict and the application of the death penalty.
Tip
While reading this book, I kept websites open on my laptop that do have a timeline. A few options are
Personal Opinion
I regret that the author chose to include sections about “being one of the guys” to show the reader the efforts he made as a prosecutor to be accepted by police officers. The remark made about the murdered man on page 20 is inappropriate and disrespectful.
End Notes
The book gives a fascinating look at the investigation into all the crimes Gaskins committed and all the people who were involved in bringing him to trial. It is well-written with extensive research and it is fast paced.
Caution
The book contains several graphic murder descriptions. The manner in which Gaskins buried his victims is equally horrific. In the end, we face Gaskins’ execution in detail. In that sense, this book may not be for everyone.
The version I read was an Advance Uncorrected Proof. The back cover indicates there will be eight pages with photography. I do not know whether they might be graphic or not such as photography from the morgue.
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I received an advance reader copy from Kensington Publishing Corp. in exchange for an honest review. My other book reviews are here.