Following the death of Australian Graham Pleasance in England, Barry Paterson travels from Tasmania with his wife and sister-in-law to bring his friend's ashes back to his childhood home, via a European river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. Graham had always fancied going on one, so now, in a way, he would. In Basingstoke, England, crematorium worker and part-time underworld courier, Kresnik Begovic, is looking for a chance to set things right after a failed delivery. When the burly Bosnian refugee encounters the mild-mannered Tasmanian retiree at a Basingstoke funeral parlour, their fates become intertwined. Has somebody interfered with the small oak casket that Barry is carrying in his back-pack and is he really bringing home the ashes of his mate? "A gentle romp through three continents and many countries, Bringing Home the Ashes is a delightful tale of family, friends and unforeseen fortunes."