The book is a story of events and laughs in the lives of a river boatman and his two sons as they work each day on the river, including their reluctant involvement in helping the police solve several crimes. It gives the reader a view of the personalities of the father and his two sons, their opinions of each other, and how these change as the book progresses, particularly as the youngest son matures. The book contains many sidelights about life on the river, its ambience, and its local inhabitants. Part one of the book is told by the father, Ted, part two by the eldest son, Jack, and part three by the youngest son, Tim.