The precarious stability of a houseboat community on the Thames is threatened when the domestic crisis of a young mother forces the disparate residents to confront their own isolation. Nenna, an abandoned wife struggling to raise two daughters, finds her life unraveling amidst the mud and tides of Battersea Reach. She must navigate the indifference of her neighbors, including a male prostitute and a rigid ex-navy officer, as their lives intersect in unexpected ways. The narrative employs a detached, observational tone to examine the physical and emotional constraints of those living on the margins of society. The story unfolds through a series of vignettes that highlight the transient nature of the characters' existence.

This novel is widely recognized for its precise, economical prose and its ability to capture the specific atmosphere of the Thames houseboat community. Critics often highlight the author's skill in balancing humor with a profound sense of loneliness, noting that the characters are rendered with both empathy and detachment. The work is frequently cited for its subtle examination of human connection, where the physical setting serves as a metaphor for the characters' own instability. Readers often appreciate the lack of sentimentality in the narrative, finding the portrayal of the residents' lives to be both authentic and poignant. The book remains a significant example of the author's ability to find depth in the lives of those existing on the periphery of conventional society.