A deeply moving and haunting memoir about family, loss, and the enduring search for truth.
 
In Alligator Candy, journalist and author David Kushner looks back on a devastating childhood event — the 1973 abduction and murder of his eleven-year-old brother in Tampa, Florida. Told with honesty and grace, Kushner’s memoir explores how trauma ripples across generations and how the act of remembering can both wound and heal.
 
Through vivid storytelling, Kushner reconstructs his family’s experience — the fear, the silence, and the unspoken guilt that shadowed their lives. Yet amid the tragedy, he finds resilience, love, and forgiveness.
Alligator Candy is more than a true-crime account; it’s a meditation on grief and the human capacity to endure the unthinkable.
 
💖 Why You’ll Love It
A beautifully written memoir balancing heartbreak and hope.
Examines trauma, memory, and the healing power of storytelling.
Blends true crime, family history, and literary reflection.
Emotionally raw yet deeply compassionate.
A must-read for fans of literary nonfiction and memoirs of resilience.
🌟 Perfect For
Readers of The Glass Castle and Educated.
Fans of true crime blended with personal memoir.
Book clubs exploring themes of grief, family, and recovery.
Readers drawn to emotional, reflective nonfiction.
❤️ Fans Also Liked
If you enjoyed Alligator Candy, you might also like:
Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala — a heartbreaking memoir of loss and survival.
The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich — a blend of memoir and true crime.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi — a profound reflection on mortality and meaning.