This Door of the Seas

 This Door of the Seas

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       October 8, 2026

 

Author  Val McDermid and Jo Sharp

Distributor:      New South Books
ISBN:                 9781846977466
Publisher:         Polygon
Release Date:   1 September 2026  

   Website:   https://newsouthbooks.com.au/books/this-door-of-the-seas/

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Darkland Tales.

Val McDermid and Jo Sharp have brought to light a little known and extraordinary piece of Scottish history in the intriguing lend of fact and fiction forming the novella This Door of the Seas. They have completed this task in a detailed and precise piece of writing, obtaining original letters and documents which give accurate reports.

During the 1600’s Scotland was struggling financially. The East India Company had forbidden them to trade, and their crops were failing. In 1701, a gentleman by the name of William Patterson, had written about the marvellous benefits of starting a Colony in Darien. This is the isthmus between North and South America. He suggested that it would increase trade and beget money for Scotland. And so it was, a group of four ships set sail, one carrying Dr James Wallace.

The next information comes from a letter to the National Library of Scotland. A gentleman was cleaning out his father’s house when he came across papers. They were written by Dr James Wallace, a scientist who was one of the 2,000 men who set sail from Scotland in 1698 and 1699 for the jungle of Darien in Panama. Dr Wallace had Sir Robert Sibbald as a mentor.

Sir Robert had been appointed as Geographer Royal and requested James to travel to the new colony in his place, reporting back to him on aspects of the natives, flora and fauna. The following chapters contain the correspondence and notes of Dr James Wallace from 1698-1707.

His intent was to give an accurate and truthful account of the disastrous attempt at colonisation. Many of the early letters are written to his beloved wife. He believed that a rich future lay ahead for himself and his wife and future children.

The trials and mistakes make by the organizers of this expedition were numerous. They had such a poor insight into; what the land was like, the divisions between the men, the sickness and disease that was always lurking in the humid jungle, the natives, that failure was the only possible outcome.

Dr James maintained his documentation and letter writing to the end. This Door of the Seas is a brilliant explanation of Scottish History of which many are not aware. Or is it?

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