Kindle Edition Amazon StarShow Publications Category:  Action/Thriller Publisher: Starshow Publications ISBN-10:  0996666532 Type: Fiction Pages: 528 Copyright: March 29, 2016 ISBN-13: 9780996666534 Price: $10.95 (eBook) Not all roads lead to Paradise. This story is based on true events.  "You know you can't resist me - I'm the kind that your dreams tell you of." Not all roads lead to Paradise. This story is based on true events. This is the story of a retired gentleman from New York who yearns to improve his life on many levels. He meets a woman on Craig's List who offers all the things he desires. She is a beautiful redhead; a business owner who is smart, funny and resides in a part of the world he has considered for his new habitat. Their meeting is absolute magic. They have so many common likes; he is feeling he has met his soul-mate. Only one problem exists. The lady is a Black Widow in disguise. The Red Road to Hades offers a look at domestic abuse from the male point of view and is a 'must read' for anyone considering an Internet-Based relationship.         Excerpt (Excerpt from ‘The Red Road to Hades' – Charles W. Massie) I got back to Kentucky about 10:30 on Thanksgiving night. I had a good trip. Wendy and Nick were both home when I arrived. Wendy offered me a plate of turkey and fixings which I devoured. Nick, once again started with the questions. He spoke with a deep Virginia accent, hard to understand if you didn't listen carefully. "Hoz Neeyok," he asked. "New York is fine," I said. "For this time of year, the weather was quite warm." "Ya'll dint stay va long," he remarked. "No Nick," I replied, "I simply made a quick trip to attend to some personal business." "Wad ya'll hafta do?" "Just tying up loose ends," I continued, getting annoyed. "I hadn't been home since last May." I had lived at the rooming house since early November and tolerated this interrogation all the time from him. His jealousy annoyed me; He watched my every move, questioned everyone who called for me and acted like a pain in the ass. I told Wendy about his antics, but because they were involved romantically, she said nothing. I wanted a wireless Internet connection, so I wasn't required to ask Nick's permission to use the computer. "You've got to give him a little latitude Mark," Wendy told me in private. "He is bi-polar and I don't think he has been taking his meds. He has his good and bad days." "Wendy," I commented, "If I understood I would be sharing a house with your boyfriend, I never would have committed to moving in. Another tenant I can handle, but he is so jealous." "I know," she said. "I've told him jealousy doesn't work with me and I'm trying to wean him of his bad habit." "Wendy, you are much too sweet of a person," I warned. "I'm sorry, but if this crap keeps up, I'm going to be forced to find another place to live. I don't want to, but I can't deal with him." Another one of Nick's talents was to take my personal stash of food. I kept a 12 pack of beer in the refrigerator and suddenly I've got no beer left. When I questioned him whether he took the beer, he said he only took 2 cans and nothing else. Since when does a supposedly reformed alcoholic, sneak beers when his girlfriend isn't around? He also went through a large can of coffee I bought for the house. Little things like this caused me to take a dim view of Nick. I didn't like him; and I like most people. I finished eating, got out of the kitchen and went to my room to unpack, update my journal and finally, sleep. The next day, I ran errands all day long. After a busy day, I went home and tried to access Wendy's computer, hoping Nick left the door to the office unlocked. Naturally the door was locked and I needed to wait until Wendy got home from work to let me into 'their' space and log online. I couldn't use the laptop I purchased from him yet because I hadn't installed a wireless card in the computer yet. One of my high priority goals would be to go to Wal-Mart and purchase one the next time I went to Glasgow. During the next two days, Nick and I got into several minor 'confrontations.' I grew angrier with his attempts to be a 'control freak'. If he wanted to control Wendy, I figured that to be her business. However, this shit didn't fly with me and I told him so. Nick stood about 6'3", which towered over my 5'5" frame. His height didn't bother me. I never ran away from a fight in my life and I would not start now; even though a few years passed since my last fisticuffs match. "Nick," I hissed, "I'm going to tell you one last time. Leave my food alone and keep out of my personal life." "All ya damn Yankis is the same," he exploded. "Ya'll come down here thinking yoose betta then us sothen folk." I refused to answer. I walked away and went upstairs; away from the potential fray. On Saturday, I went to Burkesville and picked up the router and wireless card I needed. I returned to the house and installed the router on the computer line. Wendy promised earlier in the week, to take me back to return the rental car in Glasgow. I asked her when she wanted to go and she said now would be good because she had things to do in the afternoon. Nick asked if he could go and Wendy told him no because she would be right back. "Nick," she assured, "I'll be back in half an hour. He's dropping of the car and I'm giving him a ride back. I'm not even going shopping." One glance at Nick's face said everything. He felt like I took his rightful place in the passenger seat of her truck. We took off and headed for Glasgow with Wendy following me in her truck. I turned in the keys, got my deposit back and came out to go back. The entire procedure took all of 5 minutes. "You should call Nick and tell him I didn't rob or rape you." I joked. "Oh, he'll be alright," she chuckled. "We are going to an appointment with the psychiatrist next week. I didn't realize he wasn't taking his medicine. Getting into your beer didn't hurt either." We got back to the house and I wanted to set up the wireless connection for my computer. I already installed the new router on her system, so I only needed to plug in my wireless card and put the settings into my laptop for access. I went up to my room, installed the wireless card and turned on the laptop. Nothing. The computer sat silent. It would light up for 2 or 3 seconds and shut off. The laptop worked perfectly since I made the purchase from Nick. Why suddenly did it not work? I inspected the unit carefully and couldn't be sure, but I thought some kind of substance spilled on the keyboard. I didn't think this was anything I did. I needed to let a professional take a look. "I'm going into Burkesville," I announced to Wendy and Nick. "Does anybody need anything?" They both said no and I took the laptop and crawled into my RV. While in Burkesville I wanted to pick up my mail and stop at the computer shop. I walked into the shop and spoke to Charlie Thompson, the owner. I explained to him how I bought this laptop recently and it had been working perfectly; even as late as this morning. But when I turned it on now, nothing happens. Charlie checked the laptop out and pulled out the memory chips. "Here's your problem," he pointed out. "It will never work with this gouge in the contact board." I looked at the memory chip boards and both bore an obvious, gash running the entire length of the contact strip. Something, or someone, took a knife and sliced the board, so there wouldn't be any any contact. "Somebody sabotaged this, my man," Charlie told me. "Who did you piss off?" "Charlie, I recognize exactly who is responsible," I acknowledged, "and I've taken enough of his crap." I explained my situation in the boarding house and this psycho living in one of the other rooms. I told him I would like to fix the laptop, but for now I needed to save my money; because I needed to change residence. "We've got a nice place here for rent," he mentioned. "It's a small house. Would you be interested?" "I'd need to get a few more details," I asserted, "but it's possible." We discussed the one bedroom house he offered for rent and I liked the idea. First off, my cell phone would work here where it didn't work at Wendy's house. Second, I would be close to town for shopping, going to the Post Office and any court dates scheduled. And third, I would live in the place by myself; nobody else, including psycho boy. I told him I would give him my answer on Monday. I gave him $ 20 for his time and I left. I knew somebody's ass would be grass and I would be a lawnmower. This case of sabotage wasn't an accident. I know it probably happened during my trip to Glasgow with Wendy. This meant Nick had been upstairs in my room. I wondered what else he did in my absence. I stopped at a convenience store and picked up a sandwich for dinner. Then I headed straight out to the house and took my laptop in with me. Wendy sat alone at the kitchen table. "The gloves are coming off Wendy," I shouted, "I've put up with all I'm going to from your boyfriend." "What's the matter, Mark?" She inquired. "Your asshole boyfriend sabotaged my computer," I replied. "He cut the contacts on the memory boards so I can't turn the damn thing on. I'm trying to work and the laptop would mean I wouldn't need to bother you to use your system. Now, I'm screwed. Not only did I pay him already, but now I need to put more money out to take care of getting things fixed." "I don't think Nick would touch your personal property," she argued. "Bullshit, Wendy," I retorted. "The computer worked fine this morning before we went to return the car. I turned it on when we got back and now it doesn't work. The sabotage was obvious - it's not like an accident happened. This was deliberate. You tell your clown to steer clear of me or I will light him up like the 4th of July." I stormed out of the kitchen and returned to my room. I hadn't talked to Charlie about rental price if on the house, but decided it would be a go, as long as rent fit into my budget. Monday, I would go back down and try to work out a deal. For now, I lay on the bed and stared at the television. This was all I could do because the broken computer put a kink in my work routine. I would be damned if I would ask to use Wendy's computer ever again. At about 7 P.M., I ventured downstairs to fix myself a sandwich and grab a soda out of the fridge. From the other room I could hear Wendy say "Nick, don't." I heard the door open and Nick came barging into the kitchen. "I didn't' touch ya fucking computer, boy!" He ranted. "Ya gonna take that back or I gonna whip ya ass." "Where are you going to get 10 men in a hurry?" I taunted Nick, "because you sure as fuck are going to need them." Wendy came out in the kitchen and tried to act as a barrier between the two of us. "Now everybody, cool down," she soothed, "I don't want any fighting going on in my house." "They ain't gonna be no fightin','" Nick said. "Ah'm jus gonna kick his ass a bit." "Nick," I advised, "if you attack me, seeing your shrink is going to be the least of your problems." "Fuck you Yankee boy," he screamed. With his statement, he charged at me. Wendy stepped between and pushed Nick back. I stood waiting. I did not want to get into a fight because the police would show up. Our little scuffle might result in my arrest. If I got arrested, the court would pull my bond and I'd be sitting back in jail; whether wrong or right. "If ah had my shotgun," Nick boasted, "ah'd blow ya brains out righcheer." I didn't know if Wendy kept any firearms in the house, but I didn't want to take the chance. I walked over to the door, around Wendy and Nick and exited the kitchen to the living room. I felt I wasn't in a good situation because this nutcase seemed serious. On the table sat the portable phone, which I grabbed and went outside. I called the Kentucky State Police. Assuming there would be problems, I wanted them to be witnesses before the shit hit the fan. I reported how Nick, being a mental patient, wasn't taking his medication and just threatened my life. The dispatcher took down the address and told me they would be about 20-minutes, because the closest car got hung up on another call. Twenty minutes later, two KSP patrol cars showed up. I walked out to meet them and told them I called. "Are you the owner of the residence?" one of them questioned. "No Sir, I'm a boarder here," I admitted, "and the other guy is also a boarder." Wendy came out and talked to the troopers. She told them Nick stayed here as a boarder, he was bi-polar and hadn't been taking his medication. She told them I claimed Nick wrecked my computer but she could not attest to the fact because she didn't see him do anything. Two troopers went inside to interview Nick and two stayed on the front porch with me. They asked me for identification which I gave them, and one of them asked me if I've ever been in trouble with the law in Kentucky. "I've had nothing but trouble since being here in Kentucky," I answered. I told them the whole story of Roxie and the drug bust and jail and being bailed out. "I thought you looked familiar," one of the troopers said. "I came to the house the night of your arrest." "Then you know what I've been going through," I moaned, "and I only moved in here after getting out of jail on October 30th." "Are any drugs in this house?" He questioned. "Yours or anyone's?" "Officer," I shot back, "Whatever drugs you found where I used to live before were planted by my ex . . . and NO, there are no drugs here . . . I don't do drugs." The other two troopers came out of the house and went over to talk to Wendy. Since we had no actual fight, they would not do anything. But they recommended the two of us keep a wide distance between. I was warned if they came back tonight, everybody would go to jail. And that was the extent of their visit. I considered this another extraordinary example of the superb law enforcement by the KSP. Whatever happened to 'protect and serve'? THE FULL VERSION OF 'THE RED ROAD TO HADES' IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.STARSHOWPUBLICATIO

The Red Road to Hades
Top Customer Reviews





5.0 out of 5 stars
Read it like a real bookworm! It's so amazing! By Ankita on June 15, 2016
Format: Paperback
Love is the most beautiful and complex emotion in the whole world. Some say that trust is the backbone of love. However, how much trust is too much? Is there a scale against which one can measure the required dose of this drug? If not, then how do we know that the love that blinds our vision and senses would make us stronger or rip us apart? The Red Road to Hades by Charles W. Massie closely reflects the words of Joan Crawford,
"Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell."

In the words of the author,"This is a true story. I know it's true because I lived it; correction, am still living it," and it's a shame that an innocent person is suffering due to the inefficiency of a system while the evil breathes free.

A retired and lonely New Yorker, Mark Cassie, sets up his profile on an online dating website. He wishes to move out of New York and settle somewhere a little quieter. His profile receives several messages, but only one lady's response captures his attention. The thing that stands out in her profile is her being a redhead. Mark has a thing for redheads. Recently divorced, Roxanne lives in Kentucky. They begin interacting frequently, and, soon, she invites Mark to visit her in Kentucky. Their Chemistry seems too strong to ignore; therefore, Mark decides to meet and see where the relationship goes. As soon as they meet, they find themselves mesmerized with each other. This temporary visit turns into a permanent one, and Mark moves in with Roxanne. Their relationship seems perfect, except for Roxanne's sudden mood swings. She blames her frequent temperamental fits to the pills that she has been taking to deal with menopause. However, some of her stories don't add up, and Mark worries that she might be a pathological liar. He decides to leave her, but destiny has other plans for him and he ends up behind bars on the charges of domestic violence and drug trafficking. He does not know that this phase of his life would seem to go on forever.

The tempting world of online dating promises miracles in the love department but offers no guarantee in this area. Still, we find ourselves jumping up and down at the prospect of embracing a relationship. The loneliness plays a major role into getting us super enthusiastic about it. By narrating a true story, the author narrows down the errors in our ways. Mark pays no heed to the warning of his friend while creating his online profile, and pays the price. However, he does not blame online dating for the problems. Instead, he points out at every point in his narration, how he ignored the most obvious signs. Love does this to people, and the devil knows it. Evil is all around us, waiting to find its next prey. All we can do is to keep our eyes, ears, and head in working condition. By writing this book, the author has done a commendable job to warn its readers about what could happen. The beginning phase of love is all about hugs, kisses and more, but what lies ahead could be an incomprehensible darkness ready to bury its claws into one's flesh.

A look at the blurb of the book may make a reader anticipate a book full of pain and tears; however, the narration of the author is entwined with varied emotions. When an innocent person is convicted, they are expected to crash and become hopeless. This is what I anticipated happening to Mark. Nevertheless, no misery could snatch Mark's incredible sense of humor. He cried tears of frustration and despair but never let his wit abandon him. An unjust system tried to break him into pieces, but he held his head high against all the circumstances. "The protectors of the law" ganged up against him, but he did not let them destroy his determination to find justice.

The writing of the author is quite powerful. I found myself crying when Mark cried and laughing when he joked. His frustration made me want to punch a few grinning faces, and his helplessness teared me up. Throughout the read, I prayed to the almighty to end his sufferings and prevail the justice.In the heart of my hearts, I wished to see him out of the prison. As a reader, I know a book is marvelous if I am reciprocating the feelings of its characters. As a reviewer, I could not wait to write down my thoughts about this book. (I skipped dinner to write, and that's saying something.)

I applaud the author for sharing this true story in an engaging writing style. I wish that justice would finally prevail and "Mark's" sufferings would end. I can't help but be mesmerized by his amazing sense of humor, even at the darkest of times.

I would recommend this book to the readers who like reading about real life stories involving the law. There are many takeaways in the book, like learning about your legal rights, investigating your love-interest thoroughly, and continue fighting for the truth.