Rule one don't get caught!

The problem is that Amazon probably had it automated so anyone could add a book for sale and they probably did not know about it until it was brought to their attention. Also would anyone actually buy such a book knowing that Amazon's computer system would have a "people who bought this item also bought ..."?

Raises a hell of a lot of questions like, would it be right overall for the police to ask who did buy it?

Are the author/Amazon liable under any current laws?

Did Amazon actually profit from this?

The list's exhaustive

I would imagine that the police would be asking to know who bought it. It would enable them to find out potential paedophiles and see if anyone was in breach of their sentence. Yes Amazon would have profited though probably not by much.

I was getting at the question of illegality - is the book itself illegal or just considered 'undesirable'? Either way, should/will the police have the right to know who bought it?

It is probably covered by First Amendment rights, though that does not mean you can buy it.

*cough* In the UK?

It was not made clear which site was involved. I regularly buy books and music from the American site rather than the UK site.

If its American then 1st amendment rights over buying books and borrowing from libraries cover any purchaser. This of course doesnt mean that the US government wont flout those rights if they want to. But anyone buying a book on pedophilia that isnt all ready a registered researcher or part of a law enforcement group is just idiotic.

Yes that last bit is so true.