Online retailer Amazon has removed an electronic version of Ted Dawe's Into the River after it was slapped with an interim ban earlier this week.

The ebook version of the novel was available for purchase in New Zealand for some time after the restriction was imposed. 

Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. 

Time Out Bookstore manager Jenna Todd holds a concealed copy of banned book Into the River, which has been in the shops' window display.

The legality of selling the ebook in New Zealand is somewhat murky, as the current law was written in 1993, long before ebooks became prevalent.

"We are advising anyone considering importing the book to get legal advice," a Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) spokesman said, echoing advice on its website.

"We won't ourselves be giving any blanket advice because each individual's intent may be relevant."

Into the River author Ted Dawe.

Trade Me said it had seen a huge spike in searches for the book following the ban.

Last week there were more than 2000 searches for the book on the auction website, up 3900 per cent from just 50 searches the week prior.

A spokesman said it had removed all listings of the novel following advice from the DIA.

"If a copy was to turn up while the ban is in place we remove the listing."

At least two "silent reading" protests are planned for tomorrow.

Possessing and reading the book is not an offence, so the protesters will not be breaking any laws.

The temporary ban was brought on by a complaint by Christian conservative group Family First, who were seeking an R18 classification for the racy teen novel. 

It makes it a crime to supply or exhibit the book in any way - if one knows about the order. Individuals and organisations who knowingly supply the banned book are liable of fines of up to $3000 and $10,000 respectively. This includes schools and libraries.

In protest of the ban independent Auckland bookstore Time Out Bookstore featured Into the River in its window display, albeit concealed in a brown paperbag.

The book is surrounded by many great books which have also been banned at some stage throughout history including The Catcher in the Rye, Frankenstein, Black Beauty, the Koran and the Bible.

The window display is strewn with crime scene tape in reference to the criminal act of displaying the banned book.

Todd said the ban was unwarranted and, while Time Out was not selling the book, it should have the right to sell any book it wants.

"Customers deserve to be able to have that choice themselves and that choice shouldn't be taken away from them."

The bookstore had sold about 100 copies since it first started selling the book in 2012, Todd said.

Dawe said he understood where Family First were coming from, but they were wrong.

"Don't they know the music their kids listen to, don't they look at the games they're playing, don't they check their internet sites? To look at my book and [say] it's damaging to the youth of this country shows a gross ignorance of how things are these days."

READ MORE:

*Racy teen novel Into the River banned after Family First complaint
*Family First says it didn't intend for racy teen novel Into the River to be banned
*Banned book Into the River 'is one of the best teen novels going'

President of the Film and Literature Board of Review Don Mathieson, QC, issued the interim order, banning the book until the full board can consider whether it should be restricted. This overturns a decision by the deputy chief censor Nick McCully that made the book unrestricted last month, which itself overturned a review board order making the book R14.

Into The River won the top prize at the NZ Post Children's Book Awards in 2013. A parental advisory sticker was sent to bookstores after concerns were raised. The Censor then classified it as "M" - unrestricted - before the review board partially upheld a Family First appeal and imposed an R14 restriction on the book. This decision was later overturned by the deputy chief censor.

 - Stuff