Fourteen-year-old Stud isn't like most kids. He can turn his hands into hammers. Stud, whose father regularly abandons him to go on expeditions, has to fend for himself again, and since the other kids in town don't think his hammer hands are cool, he decides to go his own adventures.

When Stud stumbles upon one of his father's journals detailing his past adventures with Stud's mom, the young hero unknowingly makes a wish and is sucked into the book, landing at the site of one of their journeys--right on top of a hammerhead shark by the name of Steele, who is suspected of killing the Ocean King.

Stranded in a water world and unable to breathe without special assistance, Stud's in a bit of trouble. With no way home in sight, he attempts to finally make a friend who can help him and thus chooses to aid the Mermaid Detective trying to solve the murder case. Can Stud solve this problem with his shiny hammer hands? He's going to try!