The Heights by Ian Rankin: audiobook vs book, which should you choose?
Ian Rankin’s first standalone thriller in two decades: a murder in a luxury London tower overlooking Hyde Park, and a new detective, Gillian Gish. Not a Rebus novel.
Short answer: for The Heights audiobook vs book choice, we say either works (50% confidence, close call). No listening or reading check could be confirmed from a named source yet. The UK Performance rating sits below 4 but from fewer than 100 ratings, and listeners say the cast is large, so this verdict may move once more evidence is in.
Either works
Nothing makes it harder on audio or easier on the page, so either works. Listen for Laura Aikman's unabridged reading, which runs to 9 hours 3 minutes, or read it if you'd rather set your own pace.
Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. It never changes a verdict.
Confidence 50%, which puts it in the close call band. Bands run from close call at 50 to 64, through leaning at 65 to 79 and clear at 80 to 94, up to clear cut at 95 and above. Is listening the same as reading? See what the research says.
The audiobook at a glance
| Recording | UK edition | US edition |
|---|---|---|
| Narrator | Laura Aikman | Laura Aikman |
| Length | 9 hours 3 minutes (9h 3m), unabridged | 9 hours 4 minutes (9h 4m), unabridged |
| At 1.5x | about 6h 2m | about 6h 3m |
| At 2x | about 4h 32m | about 4h 32m |
| Audio publisher and date | Orion, 8 October 2026 | Cardinal, 3 November 2026 |
| Audiobook price | £21.54 on Audible UK | $26.45 on Audible US |
| Kindle price | £12.99 on Amazon UK | Not confirmed |
| Orion hardback, 352 pages, 8 October 2026 | Cardinal hardcover, 352 pages, 3 November 2026 | |
| Listener rating | Performance 3.75 from 83 ratings | No ratings yet (out 3 November 2026) |
Our verdict edition is the newer US recording, out on 3 November 2026. It has the same narrator as the UK one, so no check changes and the UK figures are shown first. Whether the two are one recording is not confirmed.
Ratings and prices checked 2 November 2026. They change often. Amazon US does not show Kindle prices outside the US, so US Kindle prices are not given.
Lengths checked 2 November 2026. Speed times are calculated.
The Heights
Ian Rankin
- Genre
- Crime thriller
- Series
- Standalone (not Rebus)
- UK edition
- 8 October 2026 (Orion)
- Length
- 352 pages
- On audio
- 9 hrs 3 mins, Laura Aikman
- Detective
- DS Gillian Gish
On this page
Why we reached this verdict
Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions. They are based on research into what most people find easier to follow in each format, not on whether the book is any good.
No listening or reading criterion could be confirmed from a named source, so neither format is favoured. Confidence is 50%.
The recording in detail
- Scored
- Laura Aikman, Orion, 2026, 9h 3m, unabridged
- Critic review
- None found
- Alternatives
- None
- What you miss
- An easy way to flick back through a large cast
What this book actually is
The Heights is a standalone murder mystery by Ian Rankin, his first standalone thriller in two decades. It is set in a luxury tower overlooking Hyde Park in London, where the night concierge is found dead. Detective Sergeant Gillian Gish, a born-and-bred Londoner, leads the case among residents who include an art dealer, a pop star, a foreign heiress and a gangster’s spouse.
It is not a Rebus novel. The publisher says it grew out of Rankin’s short story The Rise. It reached number 7 in the UK top 10 in the week ending 10 October 2026. The book deals with murder and gangland crime. Who the killer is is not covered here.
The case for reading it
Readers and listeners say the cast is large and the plot runs on several strands. In print it is easier to flick back and check who someone is.
Several UK listeners found the narration hard going, though the rating is not yet based on enough ratings to count.
The case for listening to it
The Scotsman calls the writing “confident, propulsive and informed” and The Sunday Times calls it “sleek and fast-moving”, the kind of plain, quick prose that suits audio.
At 9 hours 3 minutes on Audible UK it comes down to about 6 hours 2 minutes at 1.5x.
The audiobook in detail
Laura Aikman reads the book alone in both editions: 9 hours 3 minutes from Orion in the UK, and 9 hours 4 minutes from Cardinal in the US, out on 3 November 2026.
Listener views on the narration are mixed: one calls it “excellent”, others call it “a little monotone”. No critic review of the audiobook was found. No PDF companion is listed.
Who should ignore this verdict
Lean towards print if you struggle with large casts by ear. Lean towards audio if you want a quick-moving crime story for a commute and are happy to rewind now and then.
Read differently from most people? The app, coming soon, will let you switch off any of the thirteen checks. Get notified →
Related verdicts
We Are All Guilty Here
The long book is the only confirmed point, so it leans to audio with too little evidence for a stronger call.
The Keeper
Irish village dialogue in a Kirkus-praised reading and a book over 400 pages favour audio. Prose critics single out as dense favours the page.
It’s Not What You Think
A crime thriller where print comes out ahead.
Wild Dark Shore
An Audie-finalist recording favours audio and praised literary prose favours print, so the points are close to even.
Start hereHow we decide
The thirteen questions behind every verdict on this site.
Questions people ask
Is The Heights a Rebus book?
No. It is a standalone thriller with a new detective, Detective Sergeant Gillian Gish. Rebus does not lead it.
Who narrates The Heights audiobook?
Laura Aikman reads the whole book on her own, in the UK and US editions.
How long is The Heights audiobook?
9 hours 3 minutes on Audible UK and 9 hours 4 minutes on Audible US, as of November 2026.
Is it abridged?
No. Both editions are unabridged.
How many pages is The Heights by Ian Rankin?
352 pages in the UK and US hardbacks.
Is The Heights based on The Rise?
Yes. The publisher says it is expanded from Ian Rankin’s short story The Rise, which Amazon Original Stories released as an audiobook read by Indira Varma.
Is there a film or TV series of The Heights?
None had been announced when this page was checked on 2 November 2026.
Should I read or listen?
Either works, at 50%, a close call. No check could be confirmed on either side yet, so pick the format you prefer.
Do you agree with this verdict?
We said either format works. One tap, no sign-up.
Spotted a mistake on this page? Tell us and we will fix it. Or tell us how the site could be better.
How this verdict was reached
Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions, set in advance and applied identically to every title. They are based on research into what readers and listeners generally find easier to follow in each format, not on personal preference, and they are published in full so you can check the reasoning yourself. Verdicts are never paid for, sponsored or influenced by affiliate partners.
- The criteria: read the thirteen questions in full.
- What we checked for this book: Audible UK and US, Hachette UK, Hachette Book Group, NetGalley UK, RCW, Goodreads, Bookishelf and the Peters librarian Q&A.
- Verdict last reviewed: 2 November 2026. Editions and narrators change, so verdicts are rechecked annually.
- Prefer different criteria? The app, coming soon, will let you change which of the thirteen questions matter to you.
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