Miss Veal and Miss Ham
by Vikki Heywood
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Pub Date 3 Jul 2025 | Archive Date 14 Aug 2025
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Description
‘The moving and surprising story of a discreet love, put to its greatest test’ The Reverend Richard Coles
Public companions, private lovers….
It is 1951 and behind the counter of a modest post office in a leafy Buckinghamshire village Miss Dora Ham and Miss Beatrix Veal maintain their careful facade as respected local spinsters. But their true story is one of passion: suffragist activists who fell in love at a rally in the 1900s, danced in London's secret gay clubs between the wars, and comforted one another during the first night of the Blitz. Together they have built a life of quiet dignity and service in rural England.
Now over the course of one pivotal day their carefully constructed world begins to fracture. Through Beatrix’s wry perspective we witness the severe impact of post-war changes on their peaceful existence. Changes that will lead to heart-breaking decisions for Miss Veal and Miss Ham.
At the heart of this intimate, moving and witty novel is a story of resilience, the dignity of love that cannot be spoken, and the challenges that come when the future no longer feels safe.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
‘The moving and surprising story of a discreet love, put to its greatest test’ The Reverend Richard Coles
‘A gloriously warm-hearted tribute to the courage of hidden lives’ Francis Spufford
‘Tender, delightful and heartbreaking, I absolutely couldn't put this book down’ Karen McLeod
'Touching, dramatic and wholly authentic – my mother read it in one voluptuous gulp.' Greg Mosse
Marketing Plan
Major UK PR
Festival and Bookshop events
Social Media campaign
Review coverage guaranteed
Author blog tour
UK festival appearances
Major UK PR
Festival and Bookshop events
Social Media campaign
Review coverage guaranteed
Author blog tour
UK festival appearances
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781838340100 |
| PRICE | £10.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 134 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Emily J, Reviewer
i picked this up on a whim a couple of days ago – it isn’t often that i’m able to read about older lesbians, and the opportunity to do so during pride month seemed altogether timely. the entirety of this book takes place over a single day – a life changing one, for the titular misses veal and ham – and i felt entirely immersed in it through the lens of beatrix’s point of view (that’s miss veal, for the uninitiated).
i find it particularly interesting when a day that is, indeed, life changing isn’t necessarily action-packed. i actually found myself reminded a lot of the buffy the vampire slayer episode “the body” – i don’t want to reveal too much, but the feelings it invoked and the impact it left on me felt similar. i do wish we’d seen a bit more glimpses of beatrix and dora originally falling in love, but i suppose that would’ve spoiled the purity of the single day narrative. regardless, though this work wasn’t very long, it left a touching, emotional impact.
