NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
A GLOBE AND MAIL BEST BOOK
“Conclave is one of the best crime novels of 2016. In fact, it may be one of the best novels of 2016. There are thrills, devious plots, brilliant characters, a perfect setting and Harris’s usual skillfully rendered historical research. If you liked the Cicero trilogy, or were transfixed by The Ghost or An Officer and a Spy, you do not want to miss one line of this novel. . . . I read this book in one long day, taking time only to eat a sandwich. It is the best Robert Harris novel to date.” —Margaret Cannon, The Globe and Mail
“A must for any lover of political fiction, Conclave offers a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the Catholic Church’s most critical election.” —Canadian Living
“[A] triumphant Vatican showdown. . . . There is only one possible word to describe Robert Harris’s new novel, and it is this: unputdownable.” —Ian Sansom, The Guardian
“Splendid. . . . Harris does not disappoint. . . . Regardless of whether you have faith in God, the Church, or neither, Conclave will keep you richly entertained.” —The Washington Post
“One of [Harris’s] most intelligent and socially relevant novels to date.” —Book Reporter
“Throughout the novel, Harris teases us with taut, punchy, thrillerish sentences that set a scene, convey a mood, outline a position and hint at menace. . . . What we have is a sharply focused, tightly controlled drama. . . . Harris’s drama is made all the more intense by the confined space and claustrophobic limits of his locations. . . . Conclave boasts a sting in the tale as fiendish as the final twist in Harris’s 2007 thriller The Ghost. The rest of this fine novel is more subtle but just as masterfully executed.” —The Australian
“[A] deft tale of Vatican intrigue. . . . Conclave is full of craftsmanship. From the moment Cardinal Lomeli, the protagonist, leaves his Vatican apartment and crosses the Vatican to the dead pope’s bedroom, the reader feels in safe hands. This is Harris’s tenth novel . . . and he has mastered the hidden clockwork of suspense.” —John Gapper, Financial Times (UK)
“[Conclave is] a very fine novel, a worthy addition to the portfolio and pretty much a must-read for fans. . . . Conclave has all the elements of great drama: power-plays, politicking, tension, errors, risk. So far, so West Wing or House of Cards. What raises the story above that is the setting. Even us irredeemable atheists can appreciate the sheer pomp and ceremony at the heart of a Papal election. . . . Thoroughly enjoyable.” —Irish Independent
“Harris, creator of grand, symphonic thrillers . . . scores with a chamber piece of a novel. . . . An illuminating read for anyone interested in the inner workings of the Catholic Church; for prelate-fiction super-fans, it is pure temptation.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A gripping read. There are plenty of plot twists, revelations and high politicking to hook readers in. . . . In the wrong hands the fruit of research or the respect for historical accuracy can slow down a story. . . . Conclave is admirably brisk—and its final twist is great fun.” —The Times (UK)
“Fast-written and suspenseful, it’s elegantly written entertainment from a first-rate storyteller.” —Mail on Sunday (UK)
“Another high-class Harris thriller.” —Reader’s Digest
“Brilliant. . . . A gripping read in the authentic Harris mould. . . . Conclave . . . is more than a crime novel, it is also a psychological and political thriller. . . . The more one looks, the more cunning the book seems. Conclave is a triumphant addition to Harris’s acclaimed output.” —The Sunday Times
“The novel begins to grip like a vice and manages to convey all the drama of an election without resorting to melodrama. He pulls off the difficult trick of making his cardinals seem no less holy for all their human foibles and, although this ruminative and low-key novel is very different from Harris’s other books, it is well up to their standard.” —Sunday Express (UK)
“Stylish and beautifully constructed. . . . A sumptuous story. . . . Harris weaves the narrative of the rivalries among these Holy Men as intricately as in any locked-room crime mystery, without once losing his grip on the marvellous characters he has created. The fate of each ambitious cardinal delicately ebbs and flows during the story, each having their feet of clay subtly exposed until a final decision is reached—but even then there is a satisfying sting in the tail. One of his finest.” —Daily Mail (UK)
“[A] rather brilliant ecclesiastical thriller. . . . You can relish whether you’re a Vatican buff or someone completely unfamiliar with the church. We’re talking power and glory, dirty tricks and low ambition—it’s made for a thriller.” —London Evening Standard
“[Conclave] is a slick and fast-paced thriller. . . . This entertaining and satisfying page-turner tells the tense story of the Machiavellian machinations of ambitious men, locked in a power-struggle that can only end in a puff of white smoke and power.” —Daily Express (UK)
