Author Stacy Padula

The Gripped Book Series – Now Being Adapted for TV!

Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told

One choice. One secret. No way back.

In Montgomery, Massachusetts, everyone’s connected—friends, families, secrets.

Taylor Dunkin had it all: star athlete, hometown legend, future NFL prospect. But one devastating injury changes everything, pulling him into a hidden battle that threatens to destroy him … and everyone around him.

As pills spread through high school parties and close-knit circles, lives unravel. His brother Marc fights to uncover the truth. Cousins and friends like charismatic Chris, brilliant Jason, charming Luke, and anxious Cathy get caught in the web—where one experiment can spiral into disaster.

How far will the damage go before someone breaks?

Gripped Part 2: Blindsided

One party. One blackout. No escape.

In Montgomery, Massachusetts, the shadows of secrets grow longer—and one wild night could shatter everything.

Chris Dunkin, the ultimate party king, wakes up with no memory of the chaos he unleashed. As fragments of a horrifying truth surface, he’s forced to confront the monster he’s become … and the lives he’s dragged into the abyss.

Meanwhile, Taylor Dunkin claws his way toward redemption, but a tangled web of crime and cops pulls him deeper. His brother Marc races to intervene, while friends like reckless Jason, tormented Cathy, and loyal Luke teeter on the edge—where loyalty crumbles and addictions strike without warning.

Who will survive the fallout when the blinders come off?

Gripped Part 3: The Fallout

One choice. One betrayal. Total chaos.

In Montgomery, Massachusetts, redemption hangs by a thread—and one reckless party could snap it for good.

After a brush with death, Chris Dunkin vows to turn his life around, ditching the drugs and chaos for positive vibes and sobriety. But when his best friend Jason talks him into hosting an epic bash the night before school starts, Chris uncovers truths about himself that hit harder than any high.

Meanwhile, Taylor Dunkin fights to rebuild from his opioid nightmare, only to get tangled in a deadly game with cops and criminals. His brother Marc steps in as the go-between, but the “help” offered could cost their family everything—putting lives on the line in a web of danger and deception.

As addictions resurface and loyalties fracture, who will escape the wreckage?

Gripped Part 4: Smoke & Mirrors

One deal. One clue. Eternal reckoning.

In Montgomery, Massachusetts, illusions shatter—and one desperate deal could cost everything.

Taylor Dunkin, ex-star quarterback, battles to escape his opioid-fueled nightmare, but a shadowy pact puts his life and his family’s safety on the brink. As cryptic clues surface, feuding brothers Jordan and Marc must unite to unravel the mystery of Taylor’s disappearance—uncovering secrets that could redefine their bonds forever.

Meanwhile, Cathy Kagelli, fresh off grounding, dives into her boyfriend Jason’s hidden world of drugs, hatching a risky plan to pull him back … at the potential cost of her own soul.

Who will emerge from the deception unscathed?

Gripped Part 5: Taylor’s Story

One clue. One lie. No return.

In Montgomery, Massachusetts, vanishings strike without warning—and one hidden truth could unravel it all.

Taylor Dunkin is gone. His brothers Jordan and Marc race to piece together cryptic clues from his abandoned Jeep, awakening to a nightmare that might cost them their brother forever.

Meanwhile, Missy Kent vanishes after a night out, her boyfriend Luke’s last glimpse of her lost in the club’s chaos. As friends dig deeper, innocence shatters, drawing them perilously close to a deadly secret.

Everything connects. Trust fractures. Who will pay the ultimate price?

Gripped Part 6: The Dunkin Legacy

Foreword by TreVeyon Henderson
Coming Spring 2026

One pursuit. One revelation. Unshakable faith.

In Montgomery, Massachusetts, legacies endure-and one family’s hidden past could be their only hope.

The Dunkin family is on the run, hunted by the ruthless Bilotti crime family in a high-stakes game of survival. As Taylor navigates his dangerous alliance with the FBI, brothers Jordan and Marc confront buried memories that unearth deep wounds and necessary truths. Their father, Jack, battles his own demons through haunting flashbacks, while Michelle Taylor’s tangled history with the family promises revelations that could heal old scars or sever relationships forever.

Amid the danger, faith rises as the steady anchor-offering forgiveness, hope, and the courage to confront the darkest shadows.

Reviews

“A riveting read from start to finish, “Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told” by author Stacy A. Padula is especially and unreservedly recommended for middle school, high school, and community library YA Fiction collections.”
– Midwest Book Review

“This is a compelling and gripping novel, with an important message. The book shows the stark reality of life as a teenager, the many pressures they experience growing up in today’s society, and the deadly opioid epidemic that is sweeping the nation. An essential read for any young person or adult.”
– Readers’ Choice Book Awards

“Invigorating, engaging and a must read. The characters in The Gripped Series diligently tackle the essence of forces that can limit greatness within.”
– LaTonya Pinkard from the Netflix Original Series ‘Last Chance U’

“I’ve always looked for ways to affect young adults with a positive message in my work and so the opportunity to take the world Stacy created, a world showing how good kids can easily fall into life threatening drug addiction and eventually put the pieces of their lives back together, was an opportunity and challenge I was excited to bring to the small screen.”
– Mark Blutman, Emmy-Award winning producer

“I recommend this book to teens and young adults because there are so many of us who may be lost and struggling, and we’re looking for hope, but in the wrong places. The hope you’re looking for is found in Jesus Christ.”
– TreVeyon Henderson, running back for the New England Patriots

“The Gripped Series is fantastic for anyone looking to learn about the dangers of substance abuse. This is an essential read for those looking to protect themselves against peer pressure and drugs.”
– Emily Han, College of William & Mary

“One of the main benefits of reading Gripped Part 2: Blindsided, as well as the entire Gripped series, is that it not only shows the horrors of substance abuse, but also reveals the buildup to it. Blindsided depicts not just the worst days, but the first days. Through the story, teens are able to learn about decisions and behaviors that can lead to drug abuse. Throughout the story, the social lives of the different characters intertwine with each other, creating drama, conflict, and new friendships, which makes Blindsided a fascinating read.”
– Michael Farinacci, University of Notre Dame

“This novel is an engaging and meaningful read, ideal for high school freshmen, while also being very applicable to adults wanting to know more about teenage drug abuse. Gripped Part 4 displays the many drawbacks of taking drugs, including losing friends, girlfriends, and your thoughts on your own life. As a result, Padula effectively shows the extreme efforts needed to begin overcoming an addiction in order to begin a new life; this is shown to be very hard to complete. This would hopefully influence all young adults to avoid using drugs in order to prevent going through this troublesome process, and to avoid losing the trust and relationships with loved ones and friends.”
– Kyle Banker, University of Miami

“Gripped 5: Taylor’s Story depicts what actually happens behind the scenes of drug addiction, how it can change a person, and affect even their family and friends. If you are looking for a book which will both engage and educate you, look no further than Gripped 5: Taylor’s Story.”
– Isabelle Semas, Best-selling Author of ‘The Crash’

“Stacy Padula’s masterful control of a bifurcated storyline keeps the reader intrigued in two chronologies of events. The characters grow richer with each passing novel, as the depth of relationships between them approaches reality.”
– Mackenzie Wells, University of Georgia

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The Montgomery Lake High Book Series

Mackenzie Wells of University of Georgia Reviews Stacy Padula’s MLH Book Series

MLH #1: The Right Person

Growing up in the shadow of two NFL-destined cousins, Chris Dunkin has high hopes for his own future in football. However, a drug addiction threatens to destroy everything he has worked hard to attain. When Chris meets Courtney Angeletti–the mayor’s straightedge Christian daughter–he believes she could be the source of inspiration he needs to overcome his destructive lifestyle.

Courtney, however, has other ideas.

The desire to rebel has been tugging on Courtney’s heartstrings for some time, and Chris’s “bad-boy” reputation draws her to him like a moth to a flame. After all, he is a central part of the most popular clique in her high school. Will Chris pull Courtney away from her faith or will Courtney inspire him to overcome his rebellious lifestyle?

MLH #2: When Darkness Tries to Hide

Students at Montgomery Lake High believe the ominous clouds and impending storm will only bring a temporary interruption to their regularly scheduled lives. However, when the tempest grows worse and a classmate’s life hangs in the balance, students must pull together to support each other and seek help for their friend. As the lines between cliques dissolve, dark secrets are revealed and hearts are transformed.

MLH #3: The Aftermath

At age fifteen, Jason Davids appears to have nearly any worldly thing that promises enjoyment at his disposal. Despite this, there is a persistent emptiness inside his heart. After failing to fill the void with achievements, relationships, and illicit substances, Jason finds himself intrigued by Jessie Robins: the daughter of a local pastor. How is it possible that she stands for everything his lifestyle opposes yet possesses the one thing he has been searching for all along?

MLH #4: The Battle for Innocence

Jon Anderson and Chantal Kagelli are trying to live moral lives, but temptations are plaguing them in and out of school. Will they continue to be lights in their best friends’ lives or will they get pulled into the darkness?

MLH #5: The Forces Within

After being trapped inside his own body, unable to communicate with anyone but his own thoughts, Andy Rosetti finally wakes up from the coma that controlled his life for one month. But upon awakening, Andy finds himself and his friends in an unfamiliar setting: a mansion riddled with secret passages and supernatural forces. As his friends fall prey to the entities surrounding them, Andy must figure out if the darkness lies within the mansion’s walls or within the people surrounding him.

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The On The Right Path Book Series

Co-authored with NBA Coach Brett Gunning and illustrated by Maddy Moore, On The Right Path is a children’s book series based on the principles of Brett Gunning’s non-profit. For complete information please visit the series’ page: “On The Right Path” by Brett Gunning & Stacy Padula

About the Author

Stacy Padula grew up in Pembroke, Massachusetts and attended Silver Lake Regional High School. After high school, she attended Wentworth in Boston, where she was a Presidential Scholar. Although she was pursuing architecture and design, she took every literature and writing elective offered at the college. After graduating college, she worked briefly in the architecture and design industry before realizing the fields of literature and education were (loudly) calling her name. She transitioned into a career in private education, publishing, and writing. She is the founder of Briley & Baxter Publications, the founder of South Shore College Consulting & Tutoring, and a co-founder of BLE Pictures.

Stacy began writing her first book series, Montgomery Lake High, when she was a teenager because she saw a need for realistic Y.A. books that address topics such as substance abuse and bullying. Shortly after she graduated college, her first book was published. In 2017, she began writing her second series, Gripped, which serves as both a prequel and sequel to her first series. In 2019, she wrote her first screenplay, an adaptation of her novel The Aftermath, and worked on writing a pilot for Gripped, which caught the attention of producers. Gripped is currently being adapted for TV by Emmy-Award winning producer Mark Blutman. In 2020, Stacy began writing a third book series with NBA Coach Brett Gunning. Geared towards children ages three through eight, Stacy and Brett’s On the Right Path book series has been endorsed by Joel Osteen, Mike D’Antoni, and Kevin McHale as a series that belongs in every school, library, and household.

Stacy resides in Plymouth, Massachusetts with her husband Tim and their three miniature dachshunds, Baxter, Tony, and George. In her spare time, she enjoys attending church, listening to podcasts, skiing, taking online classes, following the stock market, attending Bruins games, playing fantasy sports, hosting Bible studies, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Awards

Cambridge Who’s Who for Young Professionals (2009)
Marquis Who’s Who in America for excellence in literature and education (2018-Present)
Featured in Marquis Who’s Who in the World (2018-Present)
Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award (2018)
Named “Top Educational Consultant of the Year” by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) (2019)
Named “Empowered Woman of the Year” by IAOTP (2020)
Named a “Social Impact Hero” by Authority Magazine for support of animal rescues through her publishing company (2020)
Chosen to be on the cover of T.I.P. Magazine (international business publication) (2020)
Featured on the Reuters Building in Times Square as Empowered Woman of the Year (2021)
Named “Top Inspirational Author of the Year” by IAOTP (2022)
- Honored at a gala at the Bellagio in Las Vegas in December (2022)
- Broadcast for her award on the Planet Hollywood Jumbotron overlooking the Las Vegas Strip (2022)
Novel Gripped Part 5: Taylor’s Story won the Silver Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Awards (2022)
Novel Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told won the Gold Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Awards (2022)
Named “Top Global Impact Author of the Year” by IAOTP for literary work on several continents (2023)
- Honored at a gala at The Plaza in New York City (2023)
- Featured on the cover of T.I.P. Magazine for Top Global Impact Author of the Year (2023)
Accepted a position as a judge for the Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards (sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, The New York Times, and Scholastic) (2023)
Named one of the Top 50 Fearless Leaders, alongside Mark Rivera from Billy Joel and former Miss Universe Michelle McClean (2023)
Named to her region’s “40 Under 40” (2023)
Novel When Darkness Tries to Hide won the Gold Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2023)
Named “Woman of the Year” by The CIO TIMES (2024)
Named “Top International Social Impact Hero” by IAOTP (2024)
- Honored at a gala in Nashville, TN (2024)
Publishing company inducted into The Plymouth Business Hall of Fame as the top publisher in its region (2024)
Novel The Aftermath won the Bronze Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2024)
Named one of the Top 25 Global Impact Leaders (international business publication) (2025)
Awarded “Female Visionary of the Year” by IAOTP (2025)
Novel The Forces Within won the Silver Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2025)
Novel Gripped Part 3: The Fallout won a Gold Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2025)
Children’s Book On the Right Path: Book One won a Silver Award for “Best Children’s Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2025)