One of the genre’s greats, Rankin draws the criminals and police well, but this story’s real strength is its attention to working-class Londoners. Continuing crime fiction’s grand tradition of exploring corruption and exploitation, The Heights is angry when it needs to be, derisive when deserved, and deft enough to leaven things with understated gags (like the developer who can’t stop reminding people that the building contains suites, thank you very much, not flats).
The writing is as confident, propulsive and informed as one would expect from Rankin, and in the extra space he has given himself, he leads us down a convincingly realistic number of blind alleys. Ultimately, though, there are just too many characters for the plot’s own good: fine if you read the novel in one go. If you can’t, you might struggle to scale The Heights.
Even after decades writing Rankin keeps up with society and popular culture and has given The Heights a thoroughly contemporary novel. As is often the case with his work, there is compelling story with plenty of twists, the truth not coming fully into view until the closing stages ... While some may worry that a move away from Edinburgh has diluted his power as a storyteller, The Heights captures everything that makes the Rebus books so popular and shows that even after 40 years at the top of his game that he has plenty left to offer.
Rankin delves into the secrets and lies of the rich and famous living in a luxury high-rise in London…A well-paced suspense novel with some nicely timed twists to keep readers engaged. It will please Rankin's fans as well as those who enjoy UK-set procedurals.
Though Gish is less complex than John Rebus, Rankin’s most famous lead, Rankin hands her a twisty, well-crafted investigation with more emotional depth than the average whodunit. Fans of the author will walk away satisfied.
With his tightly controlled and professional storytelling, no reader needs to be sold on the merits of Ian Rankin, creator of DI John Rebus. The biggest mystery here is whether newcomer Gish will get a series of her own.
