Undercover Angel: A Memoir

“Anything you need can take you to dark places in its absence.” In Undercover Angel, Dave Kehnast takes readers on a vulnerable, raw, gut-wrenching journey into the heart and mind of a sensitive, often love-sick teenager in his explorations of marijuana, LSD, alcohol, and ultimately opiates and heroin. This harrowing journey brings us among junkies and thieves, prostitutes and police, heartbreak and love, and to Japan and back. As Dave navigates the Dantean realms all addicts face, he ultimately comes face to face with his inner child and inner warrior—and the unlimited possibilities that emerge from the power of hope and surrender. This rare look at the experience of addiction from the inside out shines a light on the connection between childhood wounds and addiction, and the unpredictable nature of recovery. All those seeking to understand the nature of addiction, whether in themselves, those they love, or in larger society, will come face to face with their own woundedness, the ways we try to ease our own pain, and ultimately empathy and hope for those who find themselves on this path. Read more