Doors Open

Ian Rankin is one of my favourite mystery/crime authors so it's no surprise that I liked Doors Open, although I have to admit it wouldn't make my top ten list. There's really only one reason for that and that is the perspective of the book. It's written from the perspective of the criminal and not the hero. This wouldn't normally pose a problem, but Rankin's character Mike McKenzie is an is all too likeable character and I can sympathize with him just a little too much. It becomes quite hard to justify liking Mike and his friends with the legality of their position, especially when Mike nearly befriends a notorious gangster. Rankin makes you want to root for Mike, despite knowing what he is doing is wrong, and that puts you in a bit of a dilemma as reader.

Having said that, it is an ingenious story. Saying more would give away the plot, but the way the whole plan develops pulls you in and makes you feel like you're there watching it all. There are also a couple of interesting twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. All in all I can recommend this book. It's a good read, even if I personally didn't feel comfortable with the situation Rankin puts the reader in. After all, it gives the reader a bit of a different perspective towards certain types of criminals. It's easy to say how incomprehensible it is for respectable people to commit crimes, but when you're in the middle of it, things look quite different.