{"title":"Shaun Assael","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShaun Assael\u003c\/strong\u003e crafts gripping narratives that delve deep into the shadows of crime and human complexity. His works, such as \u003cem\u003eDig Me a Grave\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Murder of Sonny Liston\u003c\/em\u003e, blend meticulous research with compelling storytelling, offering readers a vivid exploration of true crime and mysteries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFans of crime and thriller genres will appreciate Assael’s ability to unravel intricate cases and reveal the darker layers beneath high-profile stories. His writing captures the tension and drama of investigations, making each book a riveting journey through the undercurrents of criminal worlds.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"dig-me-a-grave-by-shaun-assael-9780806542881","title":"Dig Me a Grave","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDig Me a Grave\u003c\/em\u003e is 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\". This account is written by the prosecutor who brought him to justice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith 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 neighbourhood 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDig Me a Grave\u003c\/em\u003e is a haunting look at a prolific, remorseless killer, as well as a provocative exploration of justice and the death penalty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47602905055468,"sku":"9780806542881","price":74.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780806542881-dig-me-a-grave.jpg?v=1778049468"},{"product_id":"the-murder-of-sonny-liston-by-shaun-assael-9781509814824","title":"The Murder of Sonny Liston","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn December 30th, 1970, at the age of 38, former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston died from what Las Vegas police suspected was a heroin overdose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen police arrived, they found a one-ounce balloon on Sonny's nightstand, but the coroner quickly labelled Sonny's passing as death by natural causes. To this day, Liston's death hovers over Las Vegas and the sports world, leaving unanswered questions about his ties to powerful boxing promoters, billionaire hoteliers, mob kingpins, and shadowy drug lords.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReviving boxing's most infamous cold case to work out what really happened on that night in December over forty years ago, Shaun Assael examines the last mysterious year of Liston's life against the backdrop of a pivotal year in the history of Las Vegas. 1970 was the year that the mob turned a sleepy desert oasis into a cathedral of corporate gambling. Glittering new towers were rising along the strip, while race riots were devastating the black community, creating two very different cities for Sonny Liston to disappear into.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith key aspects of Liston's life previously ignored or glossed over, Assael takes a fresh look at Liston's complicated life, getting to the bottom of one of America's most enduring mysteries, while painting a stunning portrait of mob-run Las Vegas in the 1970s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48244632813804,"sku":"9781509814824","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781509814824-the-murder-of-sonny-liston-1.jpg?v=1788006762"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/shaun-assael.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}