As her debut book and virgin foray into the world of historical publishing, Leanda de Lisle's After Elizabeth: The Rise of James of Scotland and the Struggle for the Throne of England gives a fascinating picture of the final moments of Elizabethan England. Written in the style of Antonia Fraser and other well-known historians, de Lisle peppers her book with vignettes that allow the history of the year surrounding Elizabeth's death to come alive for the reader. De Lisle demonstrates the multiple levels of issues that create a three dimensional picture of the quagmire called politics that surrounded the question of succession as Elizabeth moved closer and closer toward her death. From piracy to religion to personal (or national) ambition, a great variety of motives influenced the court and the international arena as each person decided which of the multitude of candidates for the throne he or she would support. Centering her work on figures such as Sir John Harrington and Sir Walter Ralegh, de Lisle argues that the smooth accession of James I was actually not as accepted nor predetermined as many people believe. Elizabeth had refused to name a successor during her lifetime. She worked hard to ensure that no one would be a threat to her throne, but the result was the possible instability that would arise when she died without an heir of her own body. Several historians have addressed the question of succession during the first decade of Gloriana's reign. De Lisle demonstrates that succession remained an important issue and a question until the last moments of Elizabeth's life. Her work is a worthy addition to the literature on the subject.

De Lisle separates her book into three parts: the first gives a background to the story in which she discusses the situations in England and Scotland before 1603; the second looks at the period from Elizabeth's decline to the arrival of James and then Anne in England; and the third provides the details of the coronation, the trials of those who plotted against the Scottish accession, and a brief overview of the remainder of James's reign. In chapter 1, the author gives a solid background to the question of succession in England, and she introduces the main characters in her work. The background is fairly general, and the author accepts certain ideas about the succession as truths, which were hotly debated even at the time, such as the role of the will of Henry VIII and the question of the law against foreigners. In addition, she makes a few statements that could be refined, such as supposing that Catherine Grey conceived a child during Elizabeth's smallpox in October 1562, when she gave birth in February 1563, and arguing that Mary, Queen of Scots, refused her husband Darnley the crown matrimonial when the queen tried to grant it to him but her attempts were thwarted by the Scots Parliament. Despite these few misleading statements, the overall research of the book is of high quality, particularly as de Lisle begins to concentrate on the specific period surrounding Elizabeth's death.

De Lisle opens the second part of the book with a description of the last two months of Elizabeth's life, painting a vivid picture of the failing queen. She also demonstrates the way in which Robert Cecil is able to manipulate the political situation in order to retain his position in the government once James himself inherits the throne. Cecil, not unlike his father, is portrayed as the architect of James's success at gaining and keeping the English crown in the face of other claimants such as Arbella Stuart and Lord Edward Beauchamp. De Lisle discusses in great detail the progress of the new royals from Scotland to their new capital city of London, and her writing comes alive particularly during descriptions of the journey and the personal stories from the time of transition between monarchs. She addresses the question of religion as well as the importance of foreign diplomacy as James worked to create a balance that would ensure his crown, even in the face of plots such as the Main and Bye plots of 1603. De Lisle touches on questions of gender, law, and politics, but some additional comment on the deeper impact of these influences could improve this section.

The final part of the book commences with a detailed description of the coronation of James and Anne of Denmark, but the strength of this section is her descriptions of the trials and executions of the men involved in the Bye plot, including Sir Walter Ralegh. The book concludes with an overview of the remainder of James's reign.

After Elizabeth: The Rise of James of Scotland and the Struggle for the Throne of England explores an area of history that has been oft neglected by historians, and for that reason alone this book is worth reading, perhaps in conjunction with Diana Newton's new work on James's first years as the English king. The work is immaculately researched and the stories de Lisle chooses to highlight her points help to make this a very enjoyable book to read. De Lisle does not, though, appear to support the trend toward the rehabilitation of James himself. Despite giving a nod to his great intellect, de Lisle generally emphasizes a more negative view of James and Scotland, even while questioning why he has been so maligned in history. She does introduce, though, some interesting psychological and medical possibilities for his character, as she diagnoses the King with ADHD and cerebral palsy, for which she blames much of his lack of interest in daily involvement in politics. She also correctly emphasizes his desire to spend money and hand out honors such as knighthood across England, but avoids analyzing whether there might have been a method to his actions. Overall, After Elizabeth is a well-written account of this formative year in British history that can be enjoyed by professional and amateur historian alike.