'A fantastic achievement from a fresh, noteworthy talent' - Book Scout, Goodreads.

'I read most of this book in one sitting as I could not drag myself away from its eerie storytelling... An accomplished, thoughtful novel that offers us a strange new lens with which to view the world' - Lisa Glass, Vulpes Libris

'A knack of repeatedly picking up moments of life that only while reading you realise you haven’t seen in a novel before but that are true and needed telling. The book freezes our times for future generations in a way that the mammoth, multi-layered uber-novels of Franzens, Safran Foers and Mitchells can only dream of... It is a great book.' - Benjamin Judge

'A powerful and emotional journey for the reader and one that makes this book an easy one to recommend' - William Rycroft

'Bursting with ideas and surprises and humanity. It is touching and the emotional life of the narrator lingers in the memory long after the final sentences have faded. Highly recommended.' - John Baker

'Compelling style that keeps me turning the pages ... sustained menace' - Clare Dudman

'Intense and unsettling. The prose is spartan, but powerful... Despite its physical brevity, Too Many Magpies poses huge questions about life today' - Sally Zigmond

I devoured this book in one sitting: I am a quick reader, but when a book grabs one's attention the way that Too Many Magpies does, I find it extremely hard to put it down.This book was amazing...' - Barbara Smith

'This is a book that made me hold my breath. Baines' gift is to do the literary equivalent of revealing what is on the inside of trouser pockets during laundry, ordinary and sacred things otherwise hidden are carefully revealed... What I found extraordinary as reader and writer was Elzabeth Baine’s ability to convey so skillfully and lightly the nuances of relationships and communication... As a reader it was the kind of book I have longed to read, as a writer, it is the kind of book I would dream of writing.' - Alison Wells

'Precise language and graceful use of time... Glitters with meanings' - Judith Amanthis, Morning Star

'Deceptively simple, a beautifully crafted novel in which every word seems to have multiple layers of meaning' - Debi Alper

'Like her short story collection this is a beautifully-written book' - Jim Murdoch

'A wonderful conceit ... full of really wonderful imagery and a sense of magic and science as equally mysterious forces in our lives' - Jen Michalski, JMWW magazine

'Too Many Magpies is a fantastic short novel, full of mystery, humanity and depth. It is extraordinarily well written - in beautiful prose - and the question at the heart of it kept me hooked till the end. Very enjoyable and highly recommended... Baines deserves a wide readership & critical acclaim' - Caitlin G (Amazon Review)

'A really very good read. I'm not a voracious reader so for me to have read this book quickly is the best compliment I can pay. Elizabeth makes a convincing rope from the fears of modern life from an original perspective but as a side note the interweaving strands of gardening references and particularly the authenticity of the joy of driving and descriptions of open roads and freedom hooked me in ... Great book.' - Peadar O'Donoghue

'Too Many Magpies is an incredibly thoughtful novel and as such will appeal as much to the mind of the reader as to the heart. I definitely recommend it as a book to lose yourself in' - Helen Hunt, Bookersatz

'I finished Too Many Magpies in three bedtime reads (something I rarely do!). Mesmerised from start to finish. As a reader I identified with it to a (sometimes) uncomfortable degree - loved the prose and the way the elements and characters were mirrored/entwined. A unique experience, seldom read anything by a UK writer that has had so marked an effect!' - Dot Seven, Amazon Review.

BALANCINGON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD (STORIES): REVIEWS AND COMMENTS

'Each story strikes to the heart' - Sue Guiney

'Perfect collection' - Whichbook

'This is the real deal' - Matt Bell on one of the stories in the book,
'Daniel Smith Disappears off the Face of the Earth'.

'There’s this great sense of delight in words, in expression, that lends a freshness
to even the most traditional piece here. It feels rather like her characters are
really glad to just be able to tell you about their lives, even when those lives
are not necessarily much fun. The overall effect is like walking down the street
and seeing people in their living room who have forgotten that people outside
can see in, except this time you can hear them, too.' - Bookmunch blog.
Read whole review here.

'Elizabeth Baines' specialty is unpacking relationships ...[She is] wincingly funny
about the creative process and 'The Shooting Script' ought to be required reading
for anyone who fancies themselves writing for television. She's both lyrical and
clear-sighted when she looks at the world through a child's eyes...
Enormous aplomb ...Very well-written' - Adele Geras. Full review here.

'A very high standard of writing indeed and I enjoyed it very much...
I'd definitely read more Baines' - Anne Brooke. Full review here

'Elizabeth Baines is a superb stylist - a latter-day fabulist in fact -
and her writing reminded me of Chekhov's in that it was spare and
paid attention to the subtleties of everyday experience.' - Clare Dudman

'These stories tell you more about who we are and how we live than a dozen big fat novels. If you like short stories, you should certainly get a copy of this book. If you think you don't like short stories, you should get two - one to surprise yourself with and one to give to someone else!' - Charles Lambert.

'Impressive collection... She finds and plucks out important and remarkable
moments from the otherwise ordinary. It is quite a skill.' - Scott Pack.