The Chris Voss Show

Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom by McCracken Poston Jr. https://amzn.to/49OrmAE 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. An inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice for readers of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Just Mercy. 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. About the author McCracken King Poston, Jr. was born and raised in Catoosa County in Northwest Georgia. A four-term member of the Georgia House of Representatives, his world unraveled after a number of personal and professional setbacks, including a losing bid for the U.S. Congress. Soon, Poston found himself representing a most unusual client - a man once revered as a natural TV repairman who had also suffered several downfalls, including being accused of holding his wife captive in their basement for almost three decades before killing her. Poston went on to complete the representation of Alvin "Zenith Man" Ridley, and the community was shocked to hear the truth of what went on at the dilapidated house in Ringgold, Georgia. Only recently, Alvin Ridley was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which explains much about how throughout his life he was misunderstood by his community. Poston's first book is a story of redemption, of more than one man in Catoosa County, Georgia. Poston went on from this case to a distinguished career as a criminal defense lawyer, with cases featured on television's "Forensic Files," A&E's "American Justice," and several national publications. He and his secretary continue to help Mr. Ridley, now eighty-one, making and getting him to appointments, and helping him navigate a neurotypical world.

A Grave Robbery (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn https://amzn.to/3UTjvxl Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud’s. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why? Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain—a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors? About the author New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Deanna Raybourn is a 6th-generation native Texan. She graduated with a double major in English and history from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of one, Raybourn makes her home in Virginia. Her novels have been nominated for numerous awards including the Edgar, two RT Reviewers’ Choice awards, the Agatha, two Dilys Winns, and a Last Laugh. She launched a new Victorian mystery series with the 2015 release of A CURIOUS BEGINNING, featuring intrepid butterfly-hunter and amateur sleuth, Veronica Speedwell. Veronica’s second adventure is A PERILOUS UNDERTAKING (January 2017), and book three, A TREACHEROUS CURSE, was published in 2018 and nominated for the Edgar Award. A DANGEROUS COLLABORATION was released in 2019, and A MURDEROUS RELATION appeared in 2020 and AN UNEXPECTED PERIL published in March 2021. The latest Veronica Speedwell adventure, AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTOR, will be published in February, 2022. Deanna’s first contemporary novel featuring four female assassins who must band together to take out their nemesis as they prepare for retirement, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, will be published in September of 2022.

Assassin's Manuscript by William J. Carl https://amzn.to/3ULkv6G When former CIA assassin Adam Hunter’s last hit goes awry, he attempts to leave behind his world of espionage and murder by embarking on a career in ministry. But soon, he is pulled back in to crack a code hidden in an ancient manuscript in order to foil a terrorist plot. In the meantime, Renie Ellis, a lawyer in the small town he’s moved to gets caught up in his dilemma and falls in love with him, not realizing he killed her fiancé by accident. What will she do when she finds out who Adam really is? The heist of a famous Codex from the British Museum, Papal intrigue in the Vatican, both Sicilian and Russian Mafia, and a US President who knows more than she admits all play key roles in a story that keeps the reader guessing until the end, a conclusion that no one sees coming. From Rome to Jerusalem, from Egypt’s Mt. Sinai to Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, the characters scramble for their lives, racing the clock to prevent an international disaster.

3 Minute Happiness Journal: Create Happy Habits. Change Your Brain. Transform Your Life by Kristen Butler https://amzn.to/49HS6mc From the author of the hugely popular 3 Minute Positivity Journal, an all-new journal with more prompts, affirmations, and ways to boost your mood in just minutes a day. Kristen Butler created her original, hugely popular 3 Minute Positivity Journal to share the tools, mindset strategies, and habits that helped her go from depressed and broke—literally broken—to happy, thriving, and whole. Now, Kristen—the founder of the online community Power of Positivity, more than 50 million strong—returns with more unique prompts, affirmations, and ways to boost your mood and create happy habits in just minutes a day. Even with all the time we spend on our digital devices, the act of using pen and paper to write out our thoughts, feelings, intentions, reflections, goals, and wins carries great power. Kristen’s gentle yet impassioned guidance helps you tap into that power to boost your mood and change your life, using simple, small, repeated actions to change your life for good. These are the same habits she used to transform her life into the life of her dreams. This journal starts with a practical and inspiring user’s guide and then moves into quick, yet powerful daily entries—only 3 minutes in the morning and 3 minutes in the evening—to set you up for a more joy-filled life every single day. And because leading research reveals it takes 66 days to form a lifelong habit, it includes a full 90 days of prompts and exercises, so you can build a solid foundation for your new happiness routine. You don’t have to spend a decade building an empowering self-care routine through trial and error like Kristen did. With fresh, daily inspiration and done-for-you “check-ins,” all you have to do is show up each day and watch your life transform. Happiness is only a few daily habits away!About the author Kristen Butler is a bestselling author and the CEO of Power of Positivity, a community with over 50 MM followers globally. Kristen was awarded SUCCESS Magazine's Emerging Entrepreneur in 2022. She is a leader, writer, and visionary in personal development with a huge heart and captivating authenticity. Her mission is to uplift the planet! Kristen passionately started Power of Positivity in 2009 after completely transforming her life from rock bottom using the power of positive thinking. Kristen contributes her transformation to a positive mindset, her relationship with God, and an active, plant-based lifestyle.

Annie Harmon Helps High-Achieving Women Regain Work-Life Balance and Purpose Empowerlifechanges.com Show Notes About the Guest(s): Annie Harmon is a life coach and founder of Empower Life Changes. With over 30 years of experience in the corporate world, Annie decided to leave and focus on helping high-achieving women regain work-life balance. She is passionate about empowering women to break free from limiting beliefs and create fulfilling lives. Annie also offers one-on-one coaching and a 10-week course called "Unleash Your Inner Power." Episode Summary: In this episode, host Chris Boss interviews Annie Harmon, a life coach who specializes in helping high-achieving women regain work-life balance. Annie shares her journey from the corporate world to coaching and explains how she helps women overcome limited beliefs and create boundaries. She also discusses her upcoming mastermind program, the Phoenix Visionary Vault, which aims to help entrepreneurs turn their side hustles into full-time businesses. Throughout the conversation, Annie emphasizes the importance of strategic brand development, content creation, and financial fitness for business success. Key Takeaways: Annie helps high-achieving women regain work-life balance and overcome limited beliefs that hold them back. The Phoenix Visionary Vault is a 12-month mastermind program designed to help entrepreneurs turn their side hustles into full-time businesses. Strategic brand development is crucial for gaining authority and building a reputation in business. Content creation excellence involves consistent delivery of content, branding, and storytelling to engage and attract an audience. Financial fitness and money management are essential for the long-term viability of a business. Notable Quotes: "A lot of new businesses don't know financial management. They haven't set up budgets, they haven't gotten insurance, and they haven't really thought about the long-term viability of their business." - Annie Harmon "Collaborative growth is when you work with a group of women so that you get accountability, you build connection, and you build a platform for them to feel stable on." - Annie Harmon "If people don't believe you, they aren't gonna follow you. They aren't gonna listen to you. They may sign up for initial consults, but they don't follow through, they lose interest fast, and they aren't motivated clients." - Annie Harmon "Strategic brand development is making sure you're consistent in your delivery of your content, the way you dress and look and come across, so that you gain authority in your field." - Annie Harmon "Content is getting a rhythm of being consistent in your content delivery and figuring out a repeating pattern of subject matter that really builds your brand." - Annie Harmon

Battle for the Bird: Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, and the $44 Billion Fight for Twitter's Soul by Kurt Wagner https://amzn.to/3ThvILf An expertly reported investigation into Twitter’s messy corporate history—including Elon Musk’s takeover in 2022, its outsized cultural impact, and its significant role in shaping how the world gets its news. Bloomberg journalist Kurt Wagner takes you inside Twitter’s everchanging headquarters, charting its rise from flippant 140-character posts to one of the world’s most consequential tech companies. From Jack Dorsey’s triumphant return as CEO in 2015 to the rise and fall of @RealDonaldTrump to the contentious $44 billion sale to Elon Musk, Battle for the Bird exposes the messy reality and relentless challenges that come with building a global social network. With enthralling minute-by-minute accounts of Musk’s controversial takeover from insider employees, Battle for the Bird exposes the real-world impact of the South African billionaire’s new role as owner, and employees’ growing horror as Dorsey’s idealistic promises (and the “Twitter” name) go up in flames before their eyes. Battle for the Bird is the definite, objective, and substantive account of the fight over the world’s most influential social media platform. Now, for the first time—through deeply sourced, exclusive interviews—you will discover how the visionary promises of one iconoclast gave way to the darker, yet-to-be-defined motives of another, upending the virtual status quo and impacting the flow of news and information to the masses. About the author Kurt Wagner is an award-winning business and technology journalist covering social media for Bloomberg, where he has worked since 2019. He’s been covering social media since 2013 and has spent years writing about Twitter and its impact on society. He previously worked at the influential tech outlets Recode, Mashable, and Fortune. Kurt grew up near Seattle, went to college at Santa Clara University, and now lives in Denver with his family. Follow him on Twitter or X @KurtWagner8

Investing in Mobile Home Parks for Affordability and Community-Building Themhpexchange.com Stonecapinv.com Show Notes About the Guest(s): Frank Rizzo is the co-founder of Stone Capital Investors and has over 20 years of experience in real estate as a broker owner and syndicator. He has been active in the mobile home park (MHP) space for the past 12 years, acquiring and repositioning over 20 communities and 1,567 lots. Frank obtained his real estate license at the age of 19 and went on to earn his series 7, 24, and 63 licenses by the age of 23. He later opened his real estate brokerage, Cornerstone Realty, with a focus on alternative investment opportunities in the real estate market. Frank has been elected to serve as a local real estate board director and served as president of the Staten Island Board of Realtors. Episode Summary: Welcome to The Chris Voss Show, where Chris Voss interviews CEOs, authors, thought leaders, visionaries, and motivators. In this episode, Chris Voss speaks with Frank Rizzo, co-founder of Stone Capital Investors and an expert in the mobile home park (MHP) space. Frank shares his journey in real estate and explains why he decided to focus on mobile homes instead of single-family residences or multifamily properties. He discusses the affordability crisis in the housing market and how MHPs provide an entry point for people looking to become homeowners. Frank also introduces the MHP Exchange, a platform he created to provide information, news, and educational resources for those interested in the MHP space. The episode concludes with a discussion on the benefits of owning a manufactured home and the importance of building a sense of community within MHPs. Key Takeaways: Mobile home parks (MHPs) provide affordable housing options for people looking to become homeowners and enter the real estate market. MHPs offer a sense of community and stability, with residents often staying in the same park for an average of 17.5 years. Frank Rizzo and his team at Stone Capital Investors focus on acquiring and repositioning MHPs to improve the living conditions and overall experience for residents. The MHP Exchange is a platform that provides news, educational resources, and listings for those interested in the MHP space. The MHP Exchange features an AI agent called Chat MHP, which serves as a personal assistant to answer questions and provide information about mobile home parks. Notable Quotes: "We focus on the manufactured housing space, which is the most affordable of affordable housing stock, providing homes for people looking for entry-level homes and the American dream." - Frank Rizzo "When we walk into a community, we want to make it better. By improving the community, we create a better experience for our residents and stakeholders." - Frank Rizzo "Owning a home is the pathway to financial freedom. Manufactured homes are a great place to start building equity and creating wealth." - Frank Rizzo

Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley by Brent Underwood https://amzn.to/48nWvd4 A long-abandoned silver mine for sale sounded like an adventure too great to pass up, but it turned into much more—a calling, a community of millions, and hard-earned lessons about chasing impractical dreams. “Inspiring and meditative—the story of man vs nature and man vs himself.”—Ryan Holiday, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way The siren song of Cerro Gordo, a desolate ghost town perched high above Death Valley, has seduced thousands since the 1800s, but few fell harder for it than Brent Underwood, who moved there in March of 2020, only to be immediately snowed in and trapped for weeks. It had once been the largest silver mine in California. Over $500 million worth of ore was pulled from the miles of tunnels below the town. Butch Cassidy, Mark Twain, and other infamous characters of the American West were rumored to have stayed there. Newspapers reported a murder a week. But that was over 150 years ago. Underwood bet his life savings—and his life—on this majestic, hardscrabble town that had broken its fair share of ambitious men and women. What followed were fires, floods, earthquakes, and perhaps strangest, fame. Ghost Town Living tells the story of a man against the elements, a forgotten historic place against the modern world, and a dream against all odds—one that has captured millions of followers around the world. He came looking for a challenge different from the traditional 9-5 job but discovered something much more fulfilling—an undertaking that would call on all of himself and push him beyond what he knew he was capable of. In fact, to bring this abandoned town back to life, Brent had to learn a wealth of new self-sufficiency and problem-solving skills from many generous mentors. Ghost Town Living is a thrilling read, but it’s also a call to action—to question our too-practical lives and instead seek adventure, build something original, redefine work, and embrace the unknown. It shows what it means to dedicate your life to something, to take a mighty swing at a crazy idea and, like the cardsharps who once haunted Cerro Gordo, go all in.

The Gambler's Game: Based on the True Story of the Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo by James Charles Darnborough https://amzn.to/3UHQaWF Based on the True Story of the Only American to Break the Bank at Monte Carlo. ★★★★★ " . . . a riveting exploration of a remarkable life." - Readers Favorite "Darnborough brings his grandfather's extraordinary story to life." - Frances Osborne, author of The Bolter, A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year "(Darnborough) has managed to paint the grey, foggy expanses between factual, chronological events with vivid dialogue and gripping imagery." - Booknerdection In the twilight of the 19th century, as the Old West collides with the opulence of the Gilded Age, one man embarks on a journey that will redefine his life. The Gambler's Game is a captivating historical fiction saga that follows the extraordinary life of a mid-western baseball player turned high-stakes gambler. His audacious spirit leads him from the dust chocked plains to the refined ambiance of English garden parties and the allure of Belle Epoque Monte Carlo. This romantic and fast-paced tale will transport you to a time when anything was possible, where dreams were chased, and risks were taken. This is a story of self-discovery in a rapidly changing world. The Gambler's Game lures readers into a realm where the echoes of gunshots meet the clinking of champagne glasses, and the magnificent network of railways and steamships takes the reader on grand adventures. Bill ultimately finds himself torn between his love of gambling and a woman who might make him give it all up. Bill and Frances' characters are featured in the movie Downton Abbey: A New Era (Carnival Films, 2022).