Q&A with Laurie O’Sullivan on “Gripped 4: Smoke & Mirrors”

An interview with Laurie O’Sullivan on Gripped 4 by Stacy Padula—Dover, Massachusetts

1. Who would you recommend this book to and why?

I strongly recommend this book to anyone from early teens in middle school, all the way up until older adults. The book is amazing for all different ages in different ways. For younger readers it can prepare them for things they might be exposed to or help make their struggles and emotions feel validated by relating to a certain character. As for adults or parent readers, this book helps give them insight into situations that their kids may be going through and help them know what signs to look out for.

2. Why do you feel the topics covered in the book are relevant for teenagers?

I believe that no matter what kind of personality a teenager has or who they hangout with, they will come across dangerous and intimidating situations involving drugs and alcohol in their teenage years. Knowing how dangerous getting involved with this scene is and knowing how easy it is to get dragged in is a good thing for kids to know so they can make educated decisions and even help the people around them. 

3. Why should parents read this book?

Parents often fight with their kids when they become teenagers and a lot of it is because they don’t understand the environment they are often in. It’s helpful for parents to understand what is likely happening at parties, or when parents aren’t home, along with being able to look out for cues that their kids are going down a bad path. This book would also be a good opportunity for a child and parent to read together so they can have important conversations and stay connected throughout these potentially tough years. 

4. At this point in the story, what are you most curious to uncover in Gripped 5?

In Gripped 5 I hope to see a resolution in some of the characters, especially Taylor. Following their stories have made me connect with each character and wish the best for them. I hope for some of their lives to get back on track although I know how hard recovering can be, not only from addiction, but trying to get your life together afterwards. I want to see where Taylor had been that night when they found his jeep in Boston, and I’m worried to see the outcome. 

5. What did you like best about this book/what kept you wanting to turn the page?

Gripped 4 was just as compelling as the other books in this series but as the characters get older their lives become more complicated. As their poor decisions have led them in all different directions, I am always interested to see what is coming next. Also, the characters’ lives when it comes to friends and relationships become more complex and new characters complicate things even more as we’ve seen throughout the series. 

6. What did you like about the writing style/setup of the story?

I like that a lot of the gripped books include lots of dialogue and many different perspectives of the same situation. Dialogue is a great way to get a better idea of the characters’ personalities and relationships with each other. I also like how straightforward information is given when you learn it through dialogue as opposed to it being described by just the narrator. 

7. How has your opinion of the characters evolved overtime? Specify what you now think of the following people after reading Gripped 4:
   1. Luke: It’s disappointing to see how Luke’s actions have affected the people close to them and although Cathy says he was just trying to help, he really put her in danger. It’s also hard to imagine him supplying drugs to people he cared about as he knew how bad the outcome would be.
   2. Jordan: I feel bad for Jordan as I can see how hard Taylors addiction is hitting him. He is often anxious about his brother and you can see the toll that it is taking on his life. 
   3. Taylor: I am desperate for Taylor to get better and I feel sorry for how badly he is struggling but it is also hard to see him make so many bad decisions when he has so many people who are trying to help him and they are worried about him constantly.
   4. Jason: When Jason and Cathy broke up it made me think of him a little differently. He was trying to make Cathy feel better in some ways but he also wasn’t willing to improve. 
   5. Cathy: As her relationship ended and she came clean about using benzos to Marc, I see signs that Cathy wants to resolve the mess that her and her friends have gotten into. I think she’s made good steps towards helping herself feel better because keeping everything in was making her anxiety disorder worse.

About Laurie O’Sullivan

Laurie O’Sullivan is a recent graduate of Dover Sherborn High School where she liked to be involved with sports and extracurriculars. She was part of the National Honor Society and tutored high schoolers who want extra help in biology. She ran on the track team, led a service club, was part of a women’s group, and was involved with an environmental club. In her free time, she likes to read, listen to music, and play the piano. Her love for spending time with kids is shown through her summer job as a camp counselor and her regular babysitting hours. She plans to study communications in college and travel a lot in the future!