Small Moving Parts is the story of the Murphys, a working class Durban family. The narrative begins in the 1960s, and swirls and eddies around the lives of the mother, daughters, and mainly absent father. Along the way, catching in the often wild currents of this particular family, are the lives of the people who are tenants in the same block of flats. This makes for a memorable cast of characters, where the 'ordinary' exerts a moving claim on a reader's interest.
In a publisher's report on the manuscript, Andre Brink praised the book for "so many virtues, the author writes so well, her imagination and understanding are so encompassing, that it would be unthinkable to turn down an opportunity of publication".
The novel is also endorsed by author Anne Landsman, whose The Rowing Lesson has just won the MNet and the Sunday Times Awards.
Murray's novel is a fabulously local book, with places and accents that bring Durban alive on the page. (Plus, the smart, friendly guy working in The Book Lounge, Cape Town's trendy independent bookstore, was overheard saying "I'm half way through Small Moving Parts; you must read it!")
Meet the author at the launch on 1st September at Adams Musgrave, from 18:00. Introduction by Ingrid Winterbach.
