“No Safe Harbor” by J. Dale Dillard

No Safe Harbor

J. Dale Dillard
Independently Published (2026)
ISBN: 979-8950193002
Reviewed by Demetria Head for Reader Views (09/2026)

 J. Dale Dillard’s No Safe Harbor is a fusion of crime thriller, suspense, and police procedural. It is book one in The Nuevas Montañas Files series. Dillard does not waste time with this one. As the story begins, Deputy Sheriff Rick Hunter is on Highway 7 and driving through a communication dead zone east of Nuevas Montañas. A barefoot woman jumps in front of his headlights, and she has no phone or purse. All of a sudden, rounds of bullets are spraying his car before he can even process what in the world is happening. The woman is shot, but he still manages to risk his life to get her to the hospital, with bullets still tearing through his vehicle.

Some time later, the woman does not remember who she is, but eventually parts of her memory return. We soon find out her name is Samantha “Sam” Kane. At this point, readers are brought into something much more than an investigation for attempted murder. Obviously, there is someone out there who has gone to great lengths to make sure she doesn’t live. The mere fact that she narrowly escaped puts her and Rick right in La Sombra’s line of sight, a powerful criminal organization that traffics humans among other illegal operations.

Dillard really grabbed me with this story from the very first page. The tension just jumps off the pages instantly. I love how Dillard brings us into the stillness of the desert highway, then hits us with the disruption of Sam running in front of Rick’s car. Within moments, the description of the glass shattering and the bullets spraying the car made me feel like I was the one taking cover instead of Rick. Dillard knows how to paint vivid scenes, but it also gives us a glimpse of what kind of character Rick has. He does not know Sam from a can of paint, yet he makes the split-second decision to save her while putting himself in danger. This beginning chapter gives readers enough to be curious because now there are unanswered questions surrounding this unidentified woman with no ID, no bag, or anything else. Now, we want to know why someone wants her dead.

In my opinion, Dillard developed the characters well, particularly Sam. Not allowing her to remain a helpless victim was a smart move. She starts out wounded from a gunshot, traumatized, not remembering much about herself or who she is, and drugged. But as her memory gradually returns, her role becomes even more significant.  One of the scenes that stood out was in Chapter Twenty-Two when Sam and Rick are searching a casino parking garage for her Volkswagen. She finds that she remembers the specific details about this car, even the stripes and the number 53 on the hood. At this point, she becomes “a witness with good data.” What I loved about this was that Dillard doesn’t allow her strength to just suddenly appear. It is built through small moments throughout the narrative. We see her reclaiming her story.

I also like that Rick Hunter is not the stereotypical lawman. He goes through very human things like pain, worry, and making decisions under pressure. The other characters, like La Sombra itself, add another layer of tension to the story. We have Dante and Jenna, who are tasked with finding Sam because she was a lucrative “special order.” I was holding my breath during the scene when they enter the hospital where Sam and Rick are, and there’s an exchange of gunshots. Other characters like Captain Farmer, Detectives Cabrera and Anderson, Christopher Brohn, and Rebecca Montenegro add to the mystery of the narrative as well.

Dillard’s writing gives readers a lot of visual details. I love how the tension is developed, and the investigative procedures make it feel like real-life crime scenes, with loads of surveillance, digital evidence, and the different law enforcement agencies working together. I also liked how Dillard added date and time stamps throughout the chapters. It felt like I was following an active case and seeing them piece together the evidence. The only thing that slowed the momentum at times was the switch between different character perspectives, but I also understand why Dillard set it up this way. Readers are able to see just how extensive criminal operations can be. I also began to understand why the title is No Safe Harbor. While it would have made sense to move Sam after the hospital attack, Dillard makes us realize that technology can help her hunters to find her no matter where she goes. So, there is no safe place.

Overall, No Safe Harbor is a crime thriller that is character-driven. There is corruption and human trafficking, characters trying to survive danger, elements of mystery, and an emerging relationship. Dillard did a great job allowing readers to see just how the investigation eventually exposes a larger criminal operation taking place, rather than just focusing on a wounded woman who becomes useful. But Sam’s character is also highlighted through themes like control, confidence, and taking back your identity. The biggest takeaway for me is that Dillard doesn’t make it seem like all it takes is one victory to erase an organization that took years to build. It leaves enough room for The Nuevas Montañas Files to continue. This is a good start to this series. Readers who enjoyed similar works like Michael Connelly’s The Night Fire will most appreciate what Dillard did with this story.