The dictionary defines the word detour as follows: a roundabout course; one used temporarily instead of the main one. For most commuters, detours are unexpected annoyances. Realizing they will now have to take an out-of-the-way route, one that is probably in poor condition when compared to a major highway, drivers tend to fume and fret over the time they will lose, along with the many other inconveniences involved. Ironically, substance abuse and addictions often create detours of a far more serious nature, and yet, are frequently welcomed, even eagerly explored Those in the clutches of addictions are often deluded into believing that a detour is some kind of superhighway to happiness, when, in fact, it only leads to the edge of a steep cliff. For anyone who may currently be traveling on that dark and bumpy road to nowhere, this book is a must-read. It is written with brutal honesty and candor by someone who has taken many detours and teetered on the edge of many cliffs before finding her way back home. Before she found recovery, she was a mess. Today, she considers herself a messenger of freedom. Marilyn Lancelot is the author of the popular autobiography Gripped by Gambling. She lives in Sun City, Arizona.