Audio book to mp3 help reqd please......

I've downloaded a 2 hour long audio book mp3 which of course is one long track.
I want to split it into 3 or 5 minute sections so it's easier to search through later when listening to it.
I can split it ok BUT it chucks in the obligatory 2 second gap between the sections.
If I convert it and record it as a WAVE file on Nero or Easycdcreator there is the facility to eliminate the 2 second gap and make it more or less continuous, but I cannot seem to find the same facility if I want to keep it as an MP3, which is what I want to do for the sake of space.
Am I missing something within the software that tells me how to do this for mp3 recording or is this gap elimination only available for Wave file recording?
Or is there another software which could do this?
Thanks.

 

btt, sorry.