Jerry Oster
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Jerry Oster | |
|---|---|
| Born | Queens, New York |
| Died | January 26, 2020[1] Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | Columbia College |
| Notable works | Sweet Justice |
| Spouse | Trisha Lester |
Jerry Oster was an American writer.[2] His novels include Sweet Justice and Nowhere Man, about the investigations of New York Police Department Lt. Jake Neuman.[3][4]
Life and career
Oster worked as a reporter and film critic for Reuters, United Press International, and the New York Daily News.[5][6] He published the crime novel Sweet Justice in 1985. It opens with the shooting of three young men on the New York subway; several media stories mentioned the parallels to the Bernhard Goetz incident, although Oster was inspired in part by a 1979 shooting on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line.[7][8]
Critical reception
The New York Times noted that "the opening pages of Sweet Justice contain some uncanny premonitions of recent events on the real New York subway; they are also tense enough to arouse reasonably high expectations... If the excitement soon dissipates, it is not through any shortage of action. Indeed, part of the trouble is that Mr. Oster tries to pack in too much."[9] A second review from the paper called the book "one of the most brilliant procedurals of the last few years, and it will be a scandal if it is not put up next year for an Edgar nomination"; the paper listed it as a "Notable Book" of 1985.[7][10] The Ottawa Citizen stated that the writing "is crisp, plot top-notch and characters credible."[11] Saint Mike, published in 1987, was also a New York Times Notable Book.[12]
The Orlando Sentinel praised Oster's "sure grip on dialogue."[13] The Washington Post admired Oster's "hip, ironic and sardonic" writing style.[14] The Richmond Times-Dispatch said that Oster "makes the urban world come to life, dealing with contemporary situations with sharp dialogue, a clever style and humor, plus enough twisting plot elements to create high-powered suspense."[15] The Calgary Herald labeled Oster "a master of stream-of-consciousness pyrotechnics with a mean-streets accent and a feel for down-and-dirty New York."[16]
Selected bibliography
- Sweet Justice, 1985
- Nowhere Man, 1987
- Saint Mike, 1987
- Club Dead, 1988
- Internal Affairs, 1990
- Fixin' to Die, 1992
References
- ^ "Obituaries". Columbia College Today. Summer 2020.
- ^ Trimble, Laurie (February 24, 1985). "Sweet Justice, by Jerry Oster". The Dallas Morning News. p. 9C.
- ^ Stasio, Marilyn (May 10, 1987). "Nifty murder tale has N.Y. flavor". St. Petersburg Times. p. 7D.
- ^ Stasio, Marilyn (October 30, 1988). "Crime". The New York Times. p. A28.
- ^ Wood, Jack (March 8, 1992). "Oster writes powerful mystery using weapon-sharp words". Orange County Register. p. H23.
- ^ Clarey, Peter (March 8, 1985). "Subway Samaritan or Killer?". The Record. Hackensack. p. A22.
- ^ a b Callendar, Newgate (May 12, 1985). "Crime". The New York Times. p. A17.
- ^ Brooks, Michael (Winter 1998). "Stories and verdicts: Bernhard Goetz and New York in crisis". College Literature. 25 (1): 82.
- ^ Gross, Joe (February 1, 1985). "Books of the Times". The New York Times. p. D1.
- ^ "Christmas 1985: Notable Books of the Year". The New York Times. December 8, 1985. p. A52.
- ^ "Quick Readings". The Ottawa Citizen. September 28, 1985. p. C3.
- ^ "Notable Books of the Year". The New York Times. December 4, 1988. p. A54.
- ^ Randisi, Robert J. (March 8, 1987). "New Kids in Tough-Guy Game Are Off to Impressive Start". Orlando Sentinel. p. F9.
- ^ "Criminal Proceedings". The Washington Post. March 15, 1987. p. X8.
- ^ Merritt, Robert (March 8, 1987). "Murders". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. F5.
- ^ McGoogan, Ken (March 3, 1990). "Oster is a master of mystery". Calgary Herald. p. E13.