A sorry tale about a missing book has had an unexpectedly happy ending for a Dunedin woman.
The woman, who does not want to be named, mistakenly donated a copy of a travel book which belonged to her daughter to The Star Regent 24-hour book sale.
The book, First Pass Under Heaven, recounts Nathan Gray's adventures walking the Great Wall of China and was autographed by the author.
The missing volume did not turn up during the sale, despite sale volunteers looking out for it and the woman visiting four times to search through the 200,000 books on offer.
But on Saturday afternoon, not long after the sale finished, Mr Gray contacted the Otago Daily Times and promised to send the woman another autographed copy.
Mr Gray (34), a lawyer, writer and adventurer who lives in Wellington, said he had been told about the woman's plight by a Dunedin friend who had read about it in the ODT.
"I wouldn't want her to be too worried. These things happen. I'm happy to give her another one."
The woman said she was very thankful.
"My daughter will be very happy. But, hopefully, she will never know I lost the book in the first place."
