McCracken Poston Jr.

Zenith Man

Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom

Zenith man

Alvin Ridley

 

March 3, 1942 - July 2, 2024

AJC Article

 

‘Zenith Man’ gets late-in-life hug from Ga. town that once feared him

Zenith man

Nominated for Crime Book of the Year

 

CrimeCon’s Clue Awards, to be Hosted by Ashleigh Banfield
Zenith man

The Chris Voss Show Podcast

 

"Like a nonfiction John Grisham thriller with echoes of Rainman, Just Mercy, and a captivating smalltown Southern setting, this is the fascinating true story—sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking—of an idealistic young lawyer determined to free an innocent neurodivergent man accused of murdering the wife no one knew he had."

Zenith man

True Crime Legends Speak

"A case that simply defies belief.  You can't make something like this up!"

- Paul Dowling, Executive Producer, with Vince Sherry, Senior Producer, Forensic Files

"Was this a case of murder - or a most unusual love story?"

- Bill Kurtis, A&E's American Justice

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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 everyone thought 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



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
McCracken Poston Jr

McCracken Poston Jr

McCracken King Poston Jr, is a criminal defense attorney and former state legislator in the Georgia House of Representatives. He gained national attention for his handling of several notable cases that were featured on CNN Presents, Dateline NBC, A&E’s American Justice and Forensic Files.

Book Clubs

McCracken Poston Jr. is scheduling Book Clubs for  private appearances!  Depending on location and availability, the session could be in person or virtual! 

Book Now!

McCracken Poston Jr and Alvin Ridley, 2023.

LATEST NEWS

McCracken Poston Jr

Books-A-Million, Murfreesboro, TN TODAY 3 pm Central
Tell your friends and family there!
https://stayhappening.com/e/mccracken-poston-jr-andquotzenith-manandquot-book-signing-event-E3LV5J6YBQMR?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0bjD8v8oex8tLxA4uX2wCWC4pXWY8jnHKxSd7q2d8IuvjQsS6PoKycbho_aem_tHRVrbf3kkjL_wYIKlpz4Q

Alvin & Virginia, and Michael J. Fox, swapping Best Seller leads all week in this Amazon book category. I’m a big fan of Mr. Fox, and love the notion that he might be thinking about Alvin, or looking up Ringgold on a map.

Mount Pisgah speaks! Thanks, Randy!
This book has been called "Southern Gothic", but in reality, it's nonfiction. Should it even be called "True Crime" if there was no crime? Early on, it was more than a little uncomfortable when an agent, editor, or bookstore buyer would ask for

Sometimes I think of the many moving parts that came together for this story to play out. I did not feel Kimberly Clark Barnes could even serve on the jury, having written articles about the case. Not only did she get on the jury, she was an excellent juror who took her role

At almost every event, I have met a parent of either a child or an adult on the autism spectrum. This story reveals their deep concerns that their loved ones could have an experience like Alvin did, after being misunderstood and misjudged. A better understanding of adult autism

Alvin was interested in his late-in-life diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, allowing me to post it and write about it in the book. He seemed relieved to know that he was indeed very intelligent, and that many of the problems that he had in the past with others were simply

Ringgold, Georgia loved Alvin Ridley! And what a great transition in life he had before this final one. Alvin's flag was prepared in time to stand sentry outside the funeral home yesterday. An incredible group of volunteers puts flags up for Ringgold veterans twice a year -

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