Latest book news from The Bookseller

Burton scores number one hat trick Jessie Burton has notched up a third number one position on the official UK Top 50.

WHS High Street sales down 5% WH Smith has released its interim results covering the Christmas period, revealing that group sales were down 2% like-for-like. As usual, WH Smith Travel performed better than its High Street stores, with like-for-like sales up 2% and total sales up 7%, with particular improvements at large airports. The retailer saw a like-for-like sales drop of 5% in its High Street arm, however, along with a total sales decline of 5%, but the company said these sales decreases were “in line with our plan.” The figures relate to the 20-week period to 17th January 2015.

"Tough conditions" for Pearson in 2014 Academic publisher Pearson faced “tough market conditions in 2014” in North America and the UK, according to a trading update released today (21st January). The company said policy and cyclical pressures affected its two biggest markets, while a smaller school textbook update in South Africa also had an impact. Pearson said it saw a “solid trading performance” from its North American higher education business and Penguin Random House in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Simon Master dies Former Random House group deputy chairman Simon Master died suddenly on Friday (January 16th). Master, who was 70, died while on holiday. Master was deputy group chairman for Random House from 1989 to 2004 and previously worked at Pan, where he was editorial director, publishing director and m.d. in the 1970s and 1980s.

UK Booksellers urged to join European-wide campaign Booksellers are being called on to join in the #mynextread campaign – designed to galvanise readers across Europe. The campaign, which launched to the public today (21st January) is spearheaded by the European International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) and encourages booksellers and readers to share what they are reading – in print or digital – on social media using the #mynextread hashtag. The European trade body says it aims to “energise the retail book sector and inspire a new generation of readers.”

Indie publishers sign up to Bookmate subscription service E-books from Head of Zeus, Profile Books and Ingram are now available on subscription service Bookmate. The Russian e-book platform launched its English language arm in October last year, with HarperCollins the highest profile publisher to sign titles up.

Poldark novels reissued for TV tie-ins Pan Books is to reissue the first two Poldark novels by Winston Graham to tie in with a major new BBC TV series. The eight-part TV series, for the BBC and American channel PBS, created by Mammoth TV, is based on Ross Poldark and Demelza, the first two novels in Graham’s historical fiction series set in 18th century Cornwall.

James Patterson in $300k self-destructing book promo One James Patterson fan will be able to purchase a self-destructing version of James Patterson’s new novel Private Vegas – for almost $300,000. As part of the promotion for the book, published in the UK by Century and released on 1st January, 1,000 fans will also be able to read a free, digital version, but will only have 24 hours to do so before it disappears.

Second HarperCollins virtual romance festival in February HarperCollins and Harlequin Mills & Boon are to host a second virtual Romance Festival, following their first which was held last June.

Hutchinson snaps up award-winning Neary Hutchinson has acquired two books by award-winning short-story writer Annemarie Neary. Senior editor Emma Mitchell bought world English rights to Siren and one other book from Zoe Waldie at Rogers, Coleridge & White.

B&N's Klipper to retire Barnes & Noble’s retail c.e.o Mitchell Klipper is to retire from the role in May after 28 years at the company.  Klipper will step down as the chief executive of the Retail Group at the end of Barnes & Noble’s fiscal year, but will act as a special advisor on real estate and other matters, B&N said. The company is currently recruiting to replace Klipper.

Junot Díaz novel declared 21st Century's best by US critics Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Faber & Faber) has been chosen by a group of America critics as the best novel of the 21st century so far. The poll, of “several dozen” US critics, was carried out by BBC Culture, the arts section of the international BBC site. Published in the UK in 2009, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is about an overweight nerd living with his Dominican family in New Jersey.