The Bookseller.com

24th July 2008

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Till point push for Child 44

11.02.08 Graeme Neill

Sainsbury's will be promoting Simon & Schuster's much-hyped literary thriller Child 44 at its check-outs, the first time it has done so with a hardback title.

Tom Rob Smith's Stalin-era literary novel is published on 3rd March and 30,000 copies of the book have been supplied to retailers. The title will go straight into Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco's charts display. It will be promoted front of store at W H Smith and placed in its chart, with the travel wing putting it into its 2 for £20 promotion.

Waterstone's is offering money off in a front of store promotion and Borders will put it into its New Titles front of store promotion. Play.com is advertising the book in the Times and Amazon will put it into its new author promotion.

Charlotte Robertson, group sales and marketing director at S&S, said that retailers had ordered so many copies of the titles because "they want to be at the start of something big".

"It's the first book of his career and it's the beginning of a brand author's career," she said. "Its not just a cracking debut but also the start of something long-term."

The publisher paid £220,000 for the UK rights in the book. Foreign rights have been sold into 24 countries with Ridley Scott beating Mel Gibson to the film rights. The book is also being backed by a nationwide rail and London Underground advertising campaign.

Books Simon & Schuster Graeme Neill Child 44