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Shot in the Dark #1

Shot in the Dark

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Obey the curfew. Never fly past Elysia’s boundaries. Above all — never speak to humans.

For twenty-one summers, Sylvia has evaded the ironclad rules set by her village, driven by an insatiable curiosity to know the world beyond the confines of the willow her fellow fairies call home. Her ventures often lead her to the vacant human mansion beyond Elysia’s forest, where ghosts whisper and ancient treasures beckon in the darkness.

Her exploration is shattered by a bullet through her wing— courtesy of Jon and Cliff, seasoned monster hunters who suspect her involvement in gruesome disappearances. A harrowing captivity transforms into an unlikely alliance when Sylvia saves Jon’s life by sealing a magical pact with the enigmatic Ancients— fae powers who demand a cryptic price. Sylvia is left with no choice but to stay by Jon’s side while he and Cliff hunt for a ruthless werewolf, determined to free herself from the Ancients’ settlement.

As the dangerous hunt unfolds, Sylvia finds that not all legends about hunters are true. She realizes she and Jon may have more in common than she ever could have imagined— and icy hostility melts into forbidden attraction.

But it doesn’t matter how he begins to look at her— it can’t matter. If Jon discovers her secret, Sylvia knows her fate is sealed. With the full moon's ominous countdown away, Sylvia and the hunters race against time with the fate of countless lives—including Sylvia's—hanging in the balance.

After all, killing a monster is easy compared to falling in love with someone you shouldn’t.

Perfect for fans of SUPERNATURAL and R.J. Anderson’s KNIFE, SHOT IN THE DARK is an action-packed urban fantasy novel that explores the courage it takes to embrace our true identity entwined with haunting themes of forbidden love and found family.

421 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2024

2097 people are currently reading
15633 people want to read

About the author

Mary Dublin

11 books154 followers
Mary Dublin was born and raised in the heart of Florida and has had a passion for storytelling since childhood. Her love for words began at a young age, where she found solace in books that transported her to fantastical worlds and inspired her to begin dreaming of her own stories.

After completing her Bachelor's degree in Character Animation/Emerging Media, Mary went on to pursue a career in communications and take on her dream of becoming a writer. With her unique style of writing, Mary's books are a blend of aching romance, heart-pounding drama, and suspense. Her characters are flawed, complex, and leave a lasting impression on her readers.

Apart from writing, Mary is a passionate traveler, and her experiences in different parts of the world inspire elements in her novels. When she's not writing, she can be found practicing yoga, trying new hiking trails, or curled up with a good book on a rainy day.

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5 stars
623 (33%)
4 stars
662 (35%)
3 stars
411 (22%)
2 stars
121 (6%)
1 star
45 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews
Profile Image for Mary Dublin.
Author 11 books154 followers
August 7, 2024
This is our book, so we're biased! Shot in the Dark has been 10 years in the making--not 10 years writing this iteration exactly, but over ten years of worldbuilding, phone calls to each other, coming up with gasp or swoon-worthy moments together as we journeyed through life as best friends and co-authors. Shot in the Dark is our love letter to the advice "write the book you want to read!" After years of sitting on these characters with hundreds of short stories and a scrapped trilogy, we are so proud to share this polished adventure with you.

It's our hope that everyone who reads feels like they've found a new found family in Sylvia, Cliff, and Jon. We hope it makes you laugh out loud, tear up, make you say "aww", makes your heart both race and ache. We hope it's FUN!

This is the first in a series of six books(subject to change). Follow us on social media or join our newsletter so you don't miss updates and sneek peeks. And if you enjoyed Shot in the Dark, please consider leaving a review on here and Amazon!

We'd also like to thank our amazing Stabby Fairy street team, all our beautiful ARC readers, our editor Tabitha Chandler, and our longtime supporters! So much of what we do is elevated by your support and enthusiasum-- thank you!!
Profile Image for Anne.
Author 9 books72 followers
Want to read
May 4, 2024
I was a junior in high school when we started dreaming up the characters in Shot in the Dark. My mind is thoroughly boggled when I fast forward over ten years later and see what our daydreams have grown into.

The evolution of these characters and this plot has woven itself into my and Mary's lives and friendship over the years. I can trace every up and down in my life and tell you at which stage Shot in the Dark existed at the time. To say I'm a little obsessed with our book is to put it lightly. 😌

We're beyond excited for everyone who has met and will meet Sylvia, Jon, and Cliff! They're full of love, pain, and everything in between and beyond.

Enjoy the adventure, and be on the lookout for more to come! 🌿
Profile Image for Kendra Workman.
49 reviews4 followers
April 3, 2024
I received an ARC for this book. If you love fairies and the show Supernatural look no further. This book is for you! I loved the different worlds aspect of the story. The characters came to life on the page, they felt so vibrant and real. The banter between the characters had me laughing out loud at some points and gasping and close to tears at others. I loved this book and I'm looking forward to the sequel!
Profile Image for BookGirlAngie.
102 reviews3 followers
December 28, 2024
While this did have a bit of the same vibes as Supernatural and it was clear that Cliff and Jon took inspiration from Sam and Dean, it just wasn’t enough to really keep me interested. The romance took up majority of the book, the story itself seeming to take a side step so that they could rush the developing feelings between the two.

The hunt, which is what any supernatural fan loves, felt utterly lacking in thought and effort, every “battle” felt too easy. Rushed. When you tell me a book is like Supernatural, I’m going into it expecting epic battles, powerful creatures, witty banter, well developed characters, and very little romance aside from quick things that never end well or just simply don’t last. And while I knew to expect a romance, I did not expect it to be between a man over six feet and a girl that was likely only 6 inches and for it to happen so damn quickly.

Am I the only one that felt truly weirded out by that? Also, did anyone else feel it difficult to truly pin Sylvia’s height down? Like one part it felt she was closer to the size of a baby doll so likely about a foot and the next it felt like she was barely 6 inches which is crazy considering how much she was touched by this massive man. Imagining a six inch tall girl having a fingertip that is likely larger than her head, brush the hair from her face? And what happened with the Ancients was so damn lazy and far too easy.

I give this 3.5 stars because I desperately wanted a book that I could love as much as I love supernatural but this isn’t it and I can’t for the life of me explain how any fan of supernatural could say it is. Those who say it is, I doubt actually watched the show and are just repeating what was claimed on the book and the inspiration for the author.
Profile Image for Jocelyn.
86 reviews
February 8, 2025
⭐⭐.5

Unfortunately, I really am not understanding the high ratings of this book.

Yes, it's definitely SPN and Fern Gully coded which should've made me very happy to read, but nope. The story plot was all over the place. From the art attached to this book, you would think at some point they're both going to be the same size, making this weird, out of nowhere, romance make sense, but no. She's small the whole book.. but whatever size she really is is also confusing cause it's never really pinned down. Especially when Sam, I mean Jon, brushes her hair back from time to time, but doesn't knock her over. Yes, the MMC is definitely Sam, not Dean. I'm not sure why I kept seeing this as Dean Winchester MMC coded on social media. It def isn't. I'm assuming the next book will be Dean's, I mean Cliff's, story.

Overall, it just wasn't really a believable love story, but the actual hunt was decent... Kinda. Might pick up the next solely to read Dean's, I mean Cliff's, story if that's what it's based around. Maybe....
Profile Image for Atiera Anders.
35 reviews
March 29, 2024
Let me just say that this book single handedly took me out of my reading slump. The story of fairies combined with ghosts,werewolves, and people coming to understand one another made this book so captivating and fun to read.

The main characters (Jon, Sylvia, and Cliff) have amazing banter and made me laugh out loud. This story felt like a murder mystery and high fantasy hybrid. The writing was eloquent, captivating, and heartwarming to say the least. I am excited to see where the rest of the series takes us.
Profile Image for Savanna Golden.
Author 7 books92 followers
March 29, 2024
Loved, loved, loved this! Had all the great monster hunting vibes like the show Supernatural combined with magic. Main character Sylvia is like a fierce Tinkerbell. She might be tiny but both her attitude and powers are anything but mediocre!

Thoroughly enjoyed this adventure and hope to have more in the future!
Profile Image for Van | Goddessofbooks .
88 reviews24 followers
April 30, 2024
How is this book haunting and cozy at the same time?!

Overall rating: 5/5⭐️
Spice Level: 1/5
Had me feeling:
💖😍😏😊😭😘✨️

Mary and Anne won me over long ago when I first heard about Shot in the Dark. An urban fantasy that combines the magical lives of fairies and the brutal world of monster hunters? Be still my heart!

I have been very excited for this book for months and it surpassed my hopes and expectations. Loveable, complex characters, a fantastical world, and intense emotions are found all throughout the book.

Sylvia, a fairy, has always been told to stay hidden, stay safe, and especially stay away from bloodthirsty hunters. Being a curious and rebellious fairy, Sylvia's escapades into the human world lands her in the middle of Jon and Cliff's case. They are two seasoned, and terrifying monster hunters. As their worlds collide and life and death situations arise, the rules begin to blur between the human hunters and the paranormal fairy.

This book has been one of my favorite reads of the year and I recommend it to all the readers who love enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, forbidden love, fairies and monsters, and found family.

Also, this is a special shoutout to my Dean girls, please let me know how much you love Cliff as you're reading this!
Profile Image for Kay Lack.
59 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2024
Age appropriate for 11+

If youre looking for a clean, zero spice, fantasy read this ones for you. Id say it would be appropriate for ages 11 and up.

For me personally it was about 200 pages too long. There was a lot of verbal fluff for seemingly no payoff and it felt like the longest filler episode of supernatural ever. I wanted to stop at around 200 pages in because there were too many repetative mundane living situations with not enough action or drama to keep you wanting to read.
Profile Image for jessica gamboa.
78 reviews
February 18, 2025
13 year old me would have loved this book. Not sure if it’s a young adult read, but should be. Adult me was mostly bored. I picked it up because it was inspired by the Winchester boys. I guess it kinda was but mostly fern gully than anything else.
Profile Image for Natalia Farnham.
316 reviews13 followers
September 28, 2025
Gosh this book was just sooooooo not it. And then the last 6 percent it finally got interesting. Like whyyyyyyyyyyy I just can’t see how the ratings are so high for this.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
155 reviews3 followers
July 31, 2024
This is such a fantastic book! I loved every second of it. Sylvia, the FMC, is a fairy - the miniature kind! She feels restricted in her community and longs for more - more adventure and life outside of her village. She is incredibly fierce, brave, courageous, and determined. The MMC, Jon, is a human monster hunter and official pop-tart supplier. I absolutely loved the humor and witty banter!

This book focuses on paranormal murder mysteries and there’s a ton of suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the fairies, ghosts, werewolves, and ancient evils! A Shot in the Dark is perfect if you enjoy Supernatural x Fern Gully vibes with enemies to allies, found family, and a touch of romance.
65 reviews
March 31, 2025
I read this book for the fact it was loosely based off of Supernatural and was not left disappointed. Cliff gives some real Dean vibes and Jon also does give a good amount of Sam. The whole fairy concept was beautifully executed and the adventure was interesting. Can’t wait for the second one.
Profile Image for KMart Vet.
1,522 reviews81 followers
May 20, 2024
Thanks to the authors for the opportunity to read and review! This review is voluntary and honest.

This is a story that blends the whimsical world of fairies with the gritty life of monster hunters in our contemporary world, creating a compelling urban fantasy that captures the essence of both. Listen, this is Tinkerbelle/Ferngully meets Supernatural and I loved every second of it.

Sylvia, an infinitely curious and rebellious fairy, has always been drawn to the human mysteries beyond her village's strict confines. Her secret explorations lead her to an old mansion filled with a sad spirit and her hidden treasures. However, her exploration takes a dangerous turn when she is discovered by Jon and Cliff, experienced monster hunters who mistake her for a threat. This harrowing encounter quickly transforms into an unexpected alliance when Sylvia saves Jon's life by making a magical pact with the Ancients. Bound to him via this pact, Sylvia must help the two hunters as they seek a deadly werewolf. And her strict little fairy community might not like her dangerous new friends. The story has action, suspense, and a budding, forbidden attraction.

Sylvia is an incredibly engaging character and I quickly fell in love with her. Sylvia’s curiosity and bravery shine in the story and I love her interactions with the human world and all of our strange technology. The depiction of fairy culture and the exploration of the human world through Sylvia’s eyes was so fun. Both of the hunters grow layers along the way, as well. Their relationships with one another and with Sylvie and their backstories make them quite interesting characters as well. I wasn't completely sold on the romance, but we'll see where the next book goes. It's pretty unconventional given their differences. I'm not against it, but it is hinted that she'll be the one to change.

Shot in the Dark is a delight, reminiscent of Supernatural with a fairy twist. Fans of urban fantasy and those who enjoy stories of unlikely alliances and found family will find much to love. The ending sets the stage for an exciting continuation of the series. Can't wait to see what happens next!
Profile Image for Livelifetothefullest.
100 reviews
April 2, 2024
Shot in the Dark by Mary Dublin & Anne Kendsley is by far the most intriguing saga full of fantasy, romance and adventure. It brings the true essence of Fern Gully realism for our modern time. From the beautiful cover to the personal dedication, the reader becomes simply captivated throughout the story. I, for one, was mesmerized by this book as soon as I laid eyes on it! I could not put the book down, for it brought so much to be excited about with its snarky sarcasm and humor, strong character development, enticing series of events, and plot. In end, creating a rather legendary adventure.

Shot in the Dark will be a book that will stay on my mind for a long time to come. There are many quotes I enjoyed as I read this legendary book and got to know each character along the way. My favorite quote is when Sylvia explains to Cliff and Jon her feelings and meaning of love and passion within. Sylvia says, "passion is one of the greatest gifts the stars blessed us with. It feeds our spirit like the air we breathe." That quote alone brings about Sylvia and how strong of a woman she is and how she exhibits her individuality throughout the book.

The authors Mary Dublin and Anne Kendsley have an amazing gift of creating a masterpiece you will not soon forget- You will be left wanting more. They are wonderful storytellers. I am looking forward to what else is in store for them in the near future.
Profile Image for Kata.
526 reviews47 followers
April 5, 2024
“I’d never once met a monster who could keep their word.”
“If only. Perhaps the two saddest words that could be strung together.”
“Who did this to you?”

I loved this book. The storyline and the characters were so well-written and really interesting.

The world-building was well-done, and the world seemed fascinating. I hope to learn more about it in the coming books.

I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between the main characters. Their interactions were so funny at times. I also really liked the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance, and slow-burn elements.

The FMC, Sylvia, was fierce and strong even though she was tiny. Her magic seemed fascinating, and I would love to learn more about her powers and abilities.

The plot itself was mysterious and full of twists and turns. I liked the paranormal/supernatural murder mystery and monster hunter elements mixed with fantasy romance.

I couldn’t put the book down. Overall, a fun, interesting, and enjoyable story.

Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!


I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.
Profile Image for Regan, Maze, and MK.
291 reviews28 followers
August 28, 2024
This book has traveled with me to many different locations in physical and ebook format. Do not let the time it took me to finish this book fool you, I devoured this book every time I had the chance too. HOWEVER, I also knew the second book wasn’t out yet.

I love books that force enemies together for the greater good!

Sylvia is INCREDIBLE! Strong, funny, and whip-smart. This is the type of fantasy that will make you wish you were in the book.

The banter between Sylvia and the hunters was top tier. I have so many highlights on my kindle that I enjoyed. My favorite was:

“I do have a weakness, actually,” I said, peeking up to watch his stare sharpen with interest. I leaned forward conspiratorially, bracing my hands on my folded legs. “Strawberries. Don’t give me any, and definitely don’t soak them in honey and coat them with sugar.”

I highly recommend this for readers who enjoy fantasy filled with fairies and werewolves with a hint of romance. I can’t wait to read the second book!
Profile Image for Sarah.
28 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2024
I have so many thoughts and feelings about this book that it's hard to put it into words. But I'll give it a shot. (heh)

I have read the original version of this book a couple times and I loved it but this remastered, rewritten version is genuinely 100000x better. It's so different from the original book but the differences are so fascinating and intriguing. I love it.

Jon and Sylvia are everything and I love their relationship development. It's much more potent and emotional. Cliff is also somehow even better. Of course it's to be expected that the writing would improve over a decade lol but I'm still impressed. Absolutely incredible book overall, lots of intrigue, drama, comedy romance, angst, supernatural elements and more. I LOVE this book so much and I am BEYOND excited for book 2!! Thank you Mary Dublin and Anne Kendsley for writing this book!!! it's perfect ❤️
Profile Image for ✨Crystal✨.
65 reviews4 followers
December 19, 2025
✨ALC provided by NetGalley for an honest review✨

So this book has an interesting concept and started out as something new, then it basically turned into the show Supernatural but with fairies. I like Supernatural and fairies, so I liked this book. The romance was a little forced to me though, and I didn’t quite connect with the characters.

The audiobook was done well and I think the narrators did a good job. Like I said if you like Supernatural, you’ll probably like this book 🖤
Profile Image for Charity Green.
145 reviews22 followers
May 13, 2024
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so lucky to receive an ARC of this book, guys! It was such a fun and unique read for me! I absolutely loved the banter between Sylvia, Jon and Cliff. There were so many moments in the story where I just felt so choked up at the emotion between these characters. I loved all of them so much! I was initially sold on the Fern Gully meets Supernatural vibes, and this book did not disappoint. I’m reeling over here after finishing that final chapter because I just NEED TO KNOW what happens next! There is so much left to unpack and I just have to see where the romance takes us.

Tropes included:
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Forbidden Love
“Who did this to you?!” 👀
Fairies and Monsters

All of these tropes are my favorite, too! The whole premise of forbidden love just gets me every time. What’s more impossible than a palm sized fairy and a 6’3” human that can crush bones with his hands?
Profile Image for Breanna Znack.
54 reviews
March 17, 2025
4.5 stars fun read! Read a review saying this book is like Ferngully meets Supernatural and I was sold. It is exactly that and did not disappoint.
Profile Image for Belle Jean.
140 reviews
July 30, 2025
Fine tinkerbell/pixie hollow/ferngully x supernatural.

Not what I thought it would be. More for Sam girlies than Dean girls
Profile Image for Christine Folan.
Author 2 books21 followers
April 7, 2024
This is a thrilling and exciting adventure story that blends horror and fantasy elements into something fun and engaging. I read the entire thing in two days and will definitely be getting my hands on the next installement of the series! Filled with romantic tension, clever banter, and a fantastic set of characters, this is a must read for those who enjoy “supernatural” stories and remember Crysta whenever they think of fairies ♥️
Profile Image for Jordan Frederick.
18 reviews1 follower
December 3, 2025
Audiobook from NetGalley

3.75 stars. I never knew I needed a Pixie Hallow/Supernatural crossover, but I guess I did! This was a very fun, easy listen. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life, particularly the male voice actor who did both Jon and Cliff. Definitely was picturing Sam and Dean Winchester the whole time.
Profile Image for Kylie Mckenzie Cook.
1 review
November 1, 2025
great book, kept me fixated and wanting to find out what was happening the whole time. The ending really makes you want to get into the 2nd book. loved it! I love me some Dean of Supernatural I can totally picture one of the characters as him.
Profile Image for tessi.
8 reviews
August 14, 2025
This was sold to me as a Supernatural inspired book with a Dean Winchester like love interest. While I do see the inspiration from Supernatural (which was amazing and got me hooked just as easily as an episode of the series would), I do think Jon is a lot more of a Sam while Cliff was a perfect carbon copy of Dean - which explains why I immediately fell hard for him and not the actual love interest. That did not bother me in the slightest though cause I think Sylvia would not have worked with someone like Dean.

Despite that I loved everything about this. The characters, the plot, the plot twists, the BANTER (my god I adored the banter between the main trio). I could not put it down and read it in like two sittings. It would've been one if work hadn't stopped me.

I can't wait for the sequel. Literally praying it comes quick cause this was genuinely my best read this year.
Profile Image for Courtney Cade.
22 reviews2 followers
April 5, 2024
The girls have done it again!

If you’re like me & love fantasy that includes fairies, ghosts, werewolves, romance, & so much more, this is the book for you.

From the beautiful cover, created by one of the sweetest authors, Mary Dublin, to the ending of this book, I was HOOKED.

Mary & Anne’s methods of creating a world that draws you right in, while making it impossible to tell this is written by two people is incredible.

We love good character development, as well as witty banter between characters. & that romantic tension, PHEW! 😮‍💨

I cannot wait to see where the next installment takes us, but I am ready for this ride!
Profile Image for Gabrielle.
97 reviews
April 29, 2025
I can see how it’s loosely inspired by Fern Gully meets Supernatural but it definitely didn’t live up to those titles.

Jon is said to be inspired by Dean but he’s 100% Sam. Cliff was serving Dean much more.

Also the size difference really took me out of the romance. How does a badass/hunter/grown ass man fall for a 6in fairy? Like what? No wonder Cliff was judging them.

Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews

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