Synopsis – Zenith Man
Was this small-town TV repair man “a harmless eccentric or a bizarre killer” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). For the first time, Alvin Ridley’s own defense attorney reveals the inside story of his case and trial in an extraordinary tale of friendship and an idealistic young attorney’s quest to clear his client’s name—and, in the process, rebuild his own life.
In October 1997, the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia was shaken by reports of a murder in its midst. A dead woman was found in Alvin Ridley’s house—and even more shockingly, she was the wife no one knew he had.
McCracken Poston had been a state representative before he lost his bid for U.S. Congress and returned to his law career. Alvin Ridley was a local character who once sold and serviced Zenith televisions. Though reclusive and an outsider, the “Zenith Man,” as Poston knew him, hardly seemed capable of murder.
Alvin was a difficult client, storing evidence in a cockroach-infested suitcase, unwilling to reveal key facts to his defender. Gradually, Poston pieced together the full story behind Virginia and Alvin’s curious marriage and her cause of death—which was completely overlooked by law enforcement. Calling on medical experts, testimony from Alvin himself, and a wealth of surprising evidence gleaned from Alvin’s junk-strewn house, Poston presented a groundbreaking defense that allowed Alvin to return to his peculiar lifestyle, a free man.
Years after his trial, Alvin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a revelation that sheds light on much of his lifelong personal battle—and shows how easily those who don’t fit societal norms can be castigated and misunderstood. Part true crime, part courtroom drama, and full of local color, Zenith Man is also the moving story of an unexpected friendship between two very different men that changed—and perhaps saved—the lives of both.
Author Bio
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.
Website: https://www.mccrackenpostonjr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McCrackenPostonJr
Twitter: https://x.com/RealZenithMan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mccrackenpostonjr/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mccracken_poston_jr
My Review
Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom by McCracken Poston Jr.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
This is the true crime story of Alvin Ridley who was accused of killing a wife no one knew he had.
This was an interesting case highlighting how people treat people who are mentally ill.
I found the information about the growing friendship between the lawyer and his client to be heartwarming. However, there were times I felt the description of Mr Ridley to be distasteful. The attorney wanted us to understand that his client was “strange” but I felt that it was repetitive at times.
I think the story could have been stronger if it had been shorter. The blow by blow description of the trial was tedius to get through at times. If the author has summarized that section I think the story would have had more impact.
The pictures included in the story helped humanize Mr Ridley and his wife and strange existence.
Hopefully, if this case happened now it would have been clear that Mr Ridley was neuro atypical and therefore been treated with more respect by the State of Georgia.
If you are someone who enjoys true crime this book would be an interesting read.
View all my reviews
