A quick note to say that McCall Smith has finally remembered that there was a man called Mr Polopetsi working for the agency. The backpedalling is actually quite funny! It's too late to save it! Your editors failed you and now everyone knows you forgot Mr Polopetsi.

SERIOUSLY. ONE OF YOUR STAFF LEAVING YOU WOULD BE A BIG DEAL. I NOTICED.

I honestly doubt he ever reads any of his fanmail. I remember shooting an email to his fanmail address about the mysterious disappearance of Mr Polopetsi, and that was waaaaaaay back in the Saturday Big Tent days. And I bet a few others must have done so, too. It's been four books since then :O

ETA: Now I see it, and I can't believe I never thought of this before. I bet he uses a ghostwriter. How else can he have so many continuity errors?