What was this young adult book with a protagonist called Veronica?

March 20, 2014 2:55 PM

I once read a book where someone tells the main character, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, Veronica." I'm 99% sure the character in question was called Veronica and the line definitely included her name. (It may not have included the "than vinegar" bit.) What was this book?

I read it as a child or teenager. For some reason, the line stuck in my mind and it often pops into my head when I'm about to snap at someone and encourages me to be nice instead. I have no idea whether the book was any good but I'd love to know what it was, simply for curiosity's sake.

I think the main character was a teenager who had a troubled relationship with her mother, who was flighty and eccentric and possibly sent Veronica to live with a relative. And I think it was set in the US. But I may have completely fabricated some or all of that.

I've tried googling various versions of the line over the years with no joy. I've also searched for fiction with characters called Veronica. (Everything gets overwhelmed by Veronica Mars or Veronica Roth.)

I read this book at least 10 years ago in the UK. It was probably a children's or young adult book, but I read absolutely everything I could get my hands on as a kid so that's not definitely the case.

This may be a complete wild goose chase but it's been bugging me for years and years, so it would be amazing if Mefi could come to the rescue! Thanks in advance, folks.

posted by badmoonrising to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

That is an incredibly common idiom in the US. Do you remember absolutely anything else about the physical book -- color, a long or a short book, binding?
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:58 PM on March 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I know, I really wish it had been a more distinctive quote! Would have saved me years of searching...

It probably wouldn't have been a short book (and definitely wouldn't have been a short story) as I've always read quickly and like long books I can sink my teeth into. I can't remember anything else about the physical book itself, I'm afraid.
posted by badmoonrising at 3:03 PM on March 20, 2014

Did you ever get into Archie comics? Because that sounds like a line that would very likely have come up in them.
posted by restless_nomad at 3:06 PM on March 20, 2014

Response by poster: Don't want to threadsit but nope, I was never into Archie, sorry.
posted by badmoonrising at 3:26 PM on March 20, 2014

I am 90% sure this is Veronica the Show-Off (or one of its sequels).
posted by jeudi at 3:31 PM on March 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

Is it by any chance from the movie Heathers? Winona Ryder's character is named Veronica, and her parents spout a lot of cliches.
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:10 PM on March 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: jeudi, that book doesn't look familiar but it's selling for peanuts on Amazon so I'll take a gamble! Thanks.

BlahLaLa, it was definitely a book, but thanks anyway.
posted by badmoonrising at 4:49 PM on March 20, 2014

Veronica Ganz?
posted by Melismata at 6:19 PM on March 20, 2014

It's been a while since I read it, so no promises, but could it be Veronika Decides to Die?

I could see someone saying that to a suicidal person.
posted by simulacra at 8:42 PM on March 20, 2014

Could this have been one of Ilene Cooper's books like Mean Streak or possibly Queen of the Sixth Grade?
posted by johnofjack at 6:26 AM on March 21, 2014

Response by poster: I don't think it was any of those but thank you for all the suggestions!
posted by badmoonrising at 1:25 PM on March 22, 2014