Reviews for Chase the light
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Scout Johnson has no regrets about trading her mother’s debutante dreams for park ranger greens at Acadia National Park. When Scout discovers evidence in a historic lighthouse about a decades-old shipwreck and clues to gold hidden throughout the park, a struggling newspaper threatens to break the story and unleash chaos during peak season. Scout teams up with Naki, a policymaker and member of the Penobscot Nation, determined to find the gold before the paper’s deadline. But the search forces Scout to confront old fears and hard realities of injustice in order to protect the park, the truth, and her heart. Fisher continues her National Parks Summers series, following Capture the Moment (2025), amid the beauty and buried history of Maine's Atlantic coast in a story of hidden treasure and restorative truth. It thoughtfully explores the complex historical and present-day ties between the federal government and Indigenous communities. From Baker Island to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, this picturesque novel integrates faith through fractured families and second chances and affirms the courage in standing up for the light.
Publishers Weekly
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Fisher’s spirited latest National Parks Summers novel (after Capture the Moment) follows a motley crew on a scavenger hunt through northern Maine. When Acadia National Park ranger Scout Johnson finds a mysterious envelope near one of the park’s abandoned lighthouses, she’s amazed to discover a series of cryptic clues detailing the locations of caches of gold coins hidden throughout the park. Chief Ranger Tim Rivers recruits Wabanaki “Naki” Dana, a member of the Penobscot Nation and Acadia expert, to help Scout analyze the clues before any reckless tourists hear of the potential windfall. But it isn’t long before the secret reaches Chase Fletcher, a headstrong journalist who believes the once-in-a-lifetime scoop could revive his family’s failing local newspaper. Chase negotiates a spot on Naki and Scout’s investigative team in return for delaying the story’s publication, but inadvertently loses the envelope, raising the stakes. As Scout, Naki, and Chase race to collect the gold before it can fall into the wrong hands, Scout grapples with her faith, her burgeoning feelings for both of her companions, and the painful childhood memory that brought her to Acadia in the first place. The treasure hunt provides a strong, fast-moving engine for the story, while Scout’s conversations with Naki about the park’s Native American history add emotional depth. Series fans will want to dive in. (May)
