The Poet (Jack McEvoy, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #5)

by Michael Connelly

“So, aside from what he told you,” I asked, “what was your take on Gladden? Did he seem to have the smarts that everyone around here is attributing to him?” She seemed to compose her thoughts before answering. “William Gladden knew his sexual appetite was legally, socially and culturally unacceptable. He was clearly burdened by this, I think. I believe he was at war within himself, attempting to understand his urges and desires. He wanted to tell us his story, whether it was third person or not, and I think he believed that by telling us about himself he would in some way help himself as well as maybe somebody else down the road. If you look at these dilemmas he had, I think it shows a highly intellectual being. I mean, most of these people I interviewed were like animals. Machines. They did what they did… almost by instinct or programming, as if they had to. And they did it without much thought. Gladden was different. So, yes, I think he is as smart as we are saying he is, maybe smarter.”