In the summer of 1973 the Riverside area of a south Wales town is devastated by the closure of its mighty steelworks. The impact on one family is especially harsh. David Rhys loses his job in the melting shop. With few alternative jobs available, David does some part-time work helping his father, Thomas, who is the steward of a working men's club run by a committee largely indifferent to the welfare of its steward. Previous years as a coal miner, and a steady supply of cigarettes, now press down on the health of Thomas, slowly drawing out more and more infirmities. Within David a sense of anger and pessimism grows even stronger. He sees around him long crumbling terraced streets, full of people struggling to live with decency and dignity; children playing their games too young yet to understand they will never get out of this hole they call home; and teenagers who do understand and want to fight but can find no target. Riverside is a portrait of decay, slowly and effortlessly getting worse. The Rhys family live as best they can in such an environment, but neither father nor son foresee the final cruel blow.

Mike Stephens was born in 1951 into a mining family in Tredegar but grew up in Newport, south Wales. At various times, he has worked as a bus conductor, airport worker, power station operative, and as a dolomite in a steel factory. Mostly, however, he has long been employed as a university academic, specialising in the fields of policing and criminal justice. When not working, he has travelled extensively in the far east and Africa, especially Namibia and Botswana. He supports Welsh rugby and Tottenham, and spends a great deal of his time watching cricket.