Following over a decade of only writing novels for one of his series, Ian Rankin produced Doors Open, a stand alone novel based on the concept of the 'perfect' art heist: replacing some of the thousands of paintings that are kept in warehouses with fake copies so that nothing is reported missing. Doors Open starts off with the heist thrown around as a dream between three art enthusiasts, Mike Mackenzie, the protagonist millionaire, Professor Robert Gissing, an art professor at Edinburgh University who is the brains behind the initial operation, and Allan Cruikshank, banker, art enthusiast and simultaneous sceptic and admirer of the friends' fanciful scheme. However, what starts as a dream quickly turns into a reality, and from that point onwards, it takes the trio in directions they could never have imagined and reveals new, darker parts of each of their personalities.
The novel was originally published as a serialised novel for The New York Times Magazine, following their request for a spy story. Rankin came up with the heist-driven plot of the novel as an alternative, using his personal love for heist films and art as inspiration; injecting his artistic taste in the character of Mike. By beginning the novel with such a light tone as that of three friends sharing a dream in a pub, Rankin lulls his readers into a false sense of security, and slowly removes this comfort blanket throughout the novel as it grows darker and more tense. Despite this structure being undeniably interesting due to the ongoing crescendo in tension, the light-hearted opening meant that it never quite developed enough that I felt as though I could not put the novel down.
That aside, Doors Open provided a thoroughly enjoyable read that also contained thought provoking questions about society: should people have access to art, as we all have access to literature, films and the like? Rankin very much seems to be argue for this throughout the novel, as so much incredibly beautiful, valuable art is kept in storage all over the world, not up for sale but equally not available for the public to admire. Can money buy happiness? Certainly not for the characters of this novel, as none of the wealthier characters seem to have a quality of life that extends beyond the material. Can criminality be justified? Rankin seems to argue for this in the novel, reflecting on motivations and differing sorts of crimes. However, following the experiences of the Doors Open trio, he is certainly not suggesting that it is advisable.
Whilst Doors Open is by no means the best crime novel I have read, it offers a wider, more realistic perspective on life which is often missing from other novels of the genre, and also provides the reader with questions about the world but also for themselves: if you were one of the trio, can you honestly say you would not be tempted? I am certain I would be, but whether I would be brave, or indeed stupid enough to go through with it is another matter altogether.
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