Latest from The Bookseller

Pan Mac's Butler to become Quercus m.d Jon Butler is to leave Pan Macmillan to become the new m.d. of Hodder & Stoughton-owned Quercus, with current Quercus m.d. David North leaving once the “integration of Quercus into Hachette is completed”. Robin Harvie, currently editorial director of Pan Macmillan’s sports list, will take on Butler’s role as non-fiction publisher at Pan Macmillan with immediate effect.

Burton lands top spot for second week Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist (Picador) tops the UK book chart for a second week.  With 25,268 copies sold in the seven days leading to the 10th January, Burton achieved the highest one week sales figure of her career to date and was up in volume terms by 16% week to week. The novel has now sold just over 58,700 copies in paperback in four weeks.

Waterstones in talks to buy Blinkbox books Waterstones is in exclusive talks to buy Blinkbox books, The Bookseller understands. Tesco is in exclusive talks with one buyer, thought to be Waterstones, with a deal expected to be finalised by the end of this week. The bookseller urgently needs a digital app-based proposition to rival competitors such as Amazon and Blinkbox books would supply that. The deal, if done, raises questions about Waterstones' stocking of Amazon's Kindle e-readers and tablets.

New Mitchell short novel due in October David Mitchell has written a new short novel, inspired by a Twitter story he penned ahead of the release of his latest book The Bone Clocks (Sceptre). Carole Welch, publishing director of Sceptre, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to Slade House from Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown.

Tart made Viking president in Penguin US restructure Penguin Publishing Group in the US is to shut two of its non-fiction imprints, and bring two further imprints under one leadership structure, as part of a reorganisation which includes two staff departures. Madeline McIntosh, president of the Penguin Publishing Group, told staff about the editorial restructure earlier today (13th January).

Bookseller killed by falling sign at Blackpool Waterstones Waterstones has confirmed the tragic death of one of its "much-loved" booksellers, Margaret Sheridan, after an incident at its Blackpool shop yesterday (12th January).  The company paid tribute to Sheridan, 68, from Singleton, who died at the scene after being hit by a falling Waterstones sign. Police are carrying out a joint investigation into the incident with the local authority.