Death Match

Punk rock and professional wrestling have more in common than fans of either tend to like to admit (CM Punk aside, of course). Both are considered low-brow forms of entertainment, both originated as American cultural idioms, and both have somewhat cryptic, jargonistic cultures that can be hostile to outsiders. And both, of course, have fanbases that are extremely passionate about them.

In Death Match, Jason Ridler weaves his way deftly through both worlds, as his protagonist, Spar Battersea, watches his best friend die in the ring and has to find out how and why that happened. It's a fast-paced, energetic story full of interesting, idiosyncratic personalities, as well as some good doses of dark humour and action. If you're a fan of either punk rock or pro wrestling, this one's a lock - if not, it might take you a bit to pick up some of the terms and cultural touchstones that are involved, but it's still an entertaining read.