Mrs. Publicist: Middle of the month, so how about another edition of What’s In A Name, where we discuss a character name from one of your novels. Since Malachi Carter—the jazz trumpeter and mathematician who is also the dad of Esmé, Charlie’s pal—came up recently in a post about A Farewell to Arfs, the next #ChetandBernie novel, how about we do him?

Pete: Sure. First, should we explain for any newcomers that Charlie is Bernie’s son? That Bernie is a detective? That his canine partner, Chet, narrates the stories but is not a talking dog?

Mrs. Pub: I’ve got another call in three minutes.

Pete: Well, Carter is someone who carts people and things around. Carting Esmé around is a big part of his life. So, a little joke on my part. Malachi means messenger from God, and while the message Malachi gives Bernie in the soccer scene isn’t holy, it is important to the case.

Mrs. Pub: Missed that last part. Wonky connection. See you next month, peeps, for another edition of What’s In A Name! And pub date is August 6, so preorder the darn—

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