Seventeen-year-old Zoey Trask has recently moved from Warwick, Rhode Island to Alexandria, Virginia, where she attends an expensive private school. After her mother is murdered by a mugger, she's left with her father and her fourteen-year-old autistic brother Ben. Then her father is kidnapped and held for ransom for something called the J-file, which she's never heard of. Now she must solve the mystery of her father's disappearance with the help of Ben, who claims to be able to talk to their mother in dreams, and her handsome classmate Pete Ashburn.
Save the Enemy contains examples of:
- The Bro Code: Zoey's former best friend Molly hasn't talked to her since she slept with Molly's ex, Donald. Molly and Donald never seemed that into each other, and Molly didn't seem very upset about the breakup, so Zoey thought it would be okay, but Molly felt otherwise.
- Character Tics: P.F. Greenawalt, a political consultant who helps Zoey investigate, runs his finger along the outside of his nostril and picks his ears, to Zoey's disgust.
- Dead Person Conversation: Ben fills notebooks with things he hears his mom tell him. He doesn't actually see her, since his eyes are closed.
- Dedication: "For Ray, Murray, and Derrick," referring to the author's husband, dog, and cat.
- Groin Attack: At one point Zoey fights a man working with the kidnappers, using the martial arts skills her dad taught her. Her dad has actually advised her against aiming for the groin, since it's hard to get a good shot, but when the attacker gives her the opportunity, she kicks him in the crotch.
- Hates Being Touched: Ben never let anyone touch him except his mom, and now that she's dead, he won't let anyone touch him at all.
- Heroic Fire Rescue: When Zoey finds the house where her dad is being held, it's on fire. She breaks in by driving a car through the locked door, then finding him tied up on the second floor. By the time she gets him free, there's fire in the hallway, so they both jump out the window, using the safe landing technique he taught her years ago.
- I Will Only Slow You Down: When Zoey finds her dad, he says, "Leave me here. You shouldn't have come here." She ignores him.
- Jacob and Esau: Zoey was always closer to their dad, and Ben was closer to their mom. Now that their mom is dead, Zoey regrets not making more of an effort to connect with her.
- Mr. Smith: After Ben is shot in the arm, Zoey tells the hospital that his name is Hank Smith, and he was accidentally shot with a BB gun by his cousin Bob Smith.
- Parting-Words Regret: The night Zoey's mom was murdered, she and Zoey got into a fight about why Zoey wouldn't study for a history test. Her mom walked out, saying she needed to cool off. Zoey yelled that she hated her. Her mom never came back from the walk.
- The Password Is Always "Swordfish": Zoey's dad is an Ayn Rand-obsessed libertarian. She breaks into his laptop by correctly guessing his password: JohnGalt123.
- Resignations Not Accepted: Zoey's mom was an assassin specializing in slow-acting poisons. She was killed for wanting out.
- Soft Glass: Averted. When Zoey is trying to break into the house where her dad is, she tries to break the window by hand, and only succeeds in hurting her hand and elbow. She shoots a hole in the window and tries again, and this time there seems to be some give, but it's not nearly fast enough. In the end she breaks in using a different method.
