Doors Open is a thrilling novel by Scottish author Ian Rankin centering on the life and dangers of an undercover art thief, Steve "OMalley," and his attempts to survive the wrath of one of his target's wealthy and ruthless father. The novel is a roller coaster ride of suspense, action, intrigue, and crime, with O'Malley having to dodge and outsmart many powerful and dangerous characters in order to stay alive and out of prison.
In Chapter 1, readers meet Steve O'Malley for the first time as he breaks into a storeroom of a wealthy man's home late at night. He is looking for something of value to steal, and while the man's daughter is asleep in her bedroom nearby, he notices a fine Renaissance painting on the wall. He takes it, but, unknown to him, it is already being tracked by the millionaire father of the girl, who wants his stolen artwork back. O'Malley sets off a chain of events that will soon have him on the run and in danger of both the father and the police.
In Chapter 2, O'Malley is in the thick of planning his next move. He reaches out to an old mentor of his for help and advice. O'Malley had stolen the painting for its intended buyer, the mysterious Sigueiras, who is looking to build a private art collection. O'Malley is contacted by the Sigueiras, who gives him the next task: to steal from a different person, a Mexican diplomat in London. O'Malley must navigate his way through the intricate criminal underworld in order to complete the task and get the money he was promised.
The stakes are raised in Chapter 3 as O'Malley realizes the punishment for his crimes will be severe if he is caught. He pits his own plans against the actions of the millionaire father and his hired thugs, and decides to break into a high-security vault in a bank to steal a valuable medieval tapestry. He manages to elude the security guards, but soon finds himself followed by two suspicious men who are also after the painting.
The action continues to heat up in Chapter 4 when O'Malley's nemesis, the millionaire father, puts out a hit on O'Malley, ordering his team of thugs to kill him. O'Malley must continue to dodge them as he searches for the tapestry and the painting, which has been tracked to a London antique shop. He cleverly uses the help of his mentor to distract the thugs and finds himself face-to-face with the painting once again.
In the thrilling conclusion of Chapter 5, O'Malley outsmarts his pursuers once more and reveals his true identity to the millionaire father. He returns the painting to its rightful owner, foiling the security team's plans to retrieve the valuable artwork. In the end, O'Malley not only comes away unscathed but he has managed to successfully operate as an undercover art thief and double-crossed the millionaire father. It is a fitting conclusion to an exciting and thrilling novel.
