Zenith Man

Praise for ZENITH MAN

“A wild ride of love, death, and justice in small-town Georgia . . . McCracken Poston, Jr shares intimate knowledge of a sensational case. This highly engaging read combines the best parts of hard-boiled true crime with a host of colorful characters, a small-town Southern setting, and Poston’s natural gift for gab. The results beg for an eight-part Netflix series.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Wildly entertaining…Zenith Man by McCracken Poston, Jr. is a true crime book but the events described seems more like a John Grisham novel.” —Mystery Tribune

“By turns a humorous character study and a searing examination of the blind spots in our justice system, Poston’s work is an emotionally affecting page-turner sure to be loved by fans of true crime and courtroom procedurals. …Poston’s book manages to maintain an effective balance. Readers will both identify with and trust this narrator and are sure to enjoy riding alongside him through what must have been the strangest case of his career. A propulsive legal drama with a unique case, an unforgettable client, and a flawed but hardworking attorney.” —Kirkus Reviews

“McCracken Poston is a good storyteller and has a good story to tell, with the kinds of twists and turns that will make readers think it’s great fiction—except it all happened.” —Jon Meacham, New York Times bestselling author, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

“Poston found himself defending a guy he knew was guilty in what appeared to be a slam-dunk murder case.  But the amazing truth in this true crime drama is there was no crime at all. It’s one hell of a story.” —Jonathan Karl, author of Betrayal, Chief Washington Correspondent for ABC News

“Poston is a natural storyteller in the great Southern Gothic tradition. He sees the pain, but finds the humor, too, and ultimately the humanity, turning a tale of murder into a remarkable story of love, friendship and justice.” —Rory Kennedy, Emmy Award‑winning documentary filmmaker

“Autistic, paranoid, and a recluse, Alvin Ridley is charged with murdering his wife, only to be found innocent thanks to overlooked peculiar evidence and a dogged small-town lawyer struggling with his own demons. McCracken King Poston Jr.’s skillful account in Zenith Man is a warning about prejudice, a rush to judgment, and how Americans who are different can be swept up unfairly in our justice system. An inspiring tale about courage and how both lawyer and client helped each other find redemption. A must-read.” —Pete Earley, New York Times bestselling author of The Hot House, Crazy, and No Human Contact

“Poston’s unique voice has brought to life two fascinating characters thrown into a case that challenges our basic assumptions about law enforcement, the courts, and the media. You won’t be able to put down The Zenith Man until the very last word.” —Charles Bosworth, Jr, and Joel Schwartz, authors of Bone Deep