When Whanganui writer Laraine Sole heard that Kevin Luff was researching the early hotels of Whanganui, she thought: "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din."
Little did she know then that she would take his research, add many hours of her own and find "the elements of a best-selling TV series".
The Early Hotels of Old Wanganui was launched at the Wanganui RSA on Saturday to an enthusiastic audience of about 50 people.
Some audience members were descendants of those early publicans, and several copies of the limited-edition book were purchased as gifts for family members. The book has the distinctive sepia-tone cover of Ms Sole's previous books on Castlecliff and Aramoho.
The latest book, published by Hanton-Anderson, has a first print run of 300 copies, which are available at Paige's Book Gallery and Aramoho Mags and Lotto.