Conclave

By: Robert Harris

Narrated by: Roy Mcmillan

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

***Now a Bafta and Oscar winning major motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini***

What happens behind the closed doors of the Roman Catholic Conclave? The mysterious rituals surrounding the congregation of cardinal electors responsible for electing a new pope is brilliantly researched by Robert Harris, bringing an age old tradition to life. Set against the swirling of religious theory comes an explosive political drama that will have you on the edge of your seat.

The Pope is dead.

Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, 118 cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world's most secretive election. They are holy men. But they have ambition. And they have rivals.

Over the next 72 hours, one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on earth.

'Unputdownable' Guardian
'Gripping' Sunday Times

©2016 Robert Harris (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks

Critic reviews

Thriller of the year . . . with a plot so serpentine and sinuous that I could not bear to put it down. (Geoffrey Wansell)

‘I have been waiting for most of my life for Robert Harris to write a novel that is not gripping, insightful and entertaining. I am waiting still. His latest, Conclave, is superb. (Ben Macintyre)

A real page-turner, with a great twist in the final pages. (Libby Purves)

Finishing this splendid and intelligent story, as with all great fiction, brings an acute sense of loss. (Richard Susskind)

Robert Harris is incapable of writing a substandard novel. (Alan Johnson)

Each Robert Harris thriller is different but of exemplary consistency. (Ian Rankin)

I am about to use a word I have never knowingly used in any review of any book ever. During my 25-odd years of writing about books I have done my best to avoid cliches, slipshod summaries, oracular pronouncements and indeed anything else that might appear emblazoned on a book jacket. Nonetheless, there is only one possible word to describe Robert Harris’s new novel, and it is this: unputdownable (Ian Sansom)

A master of producing thrillers of ever-tightening suspense, full of insider analysis of political power and the treatment of momentous events . . . gripping . . . more than a crime novel, it is also a psychological and political thriller . . . Conclave is a triumphant addition to Harris’ acclaimed output (David Grylls)

Compulsive read

Another fantastic, compulsive read from Robert Harris, so well researched, full of compelling characters, twists and turns, Wonderfully narrated by Roy McMillan. Highly recommended.

Exciting, authentic and hopeful

How difficult it is to find a pope who is a follower of Christ. The narrative has many heroes, negative and positive. Until the end of this conclave, told intimately and authentically from the point of view of the protagonist Cardinal Lomeli, it remains immensely exciting.

Great story, well written and well read

Would you listen to Conclave again? Why?

Yes, mostly cause I fell asleep during one passage, but also because the book is so good

Who was your favorite character and why?

None in particular, all were realistic and well defined

What does Roy Mcmillan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good pace, subtle changes in accent, great pronunciation

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I did

Any additional comments?

Unusual book, well worth the credit

So easy to follow! The story kept me on my toes!

Loved it! Gave me anxiety constantly which for me is a good sign that the book is going to be good. Now to go see the movie informed.

Good "read" (listen).. but!

Excellent book with great detail and plenty of political intrigue within the Vatican. Narrator superb. Unfortunately, the ending was too contrived and brought me down with a bump!!

Great road trip entertainment

Fascinating insight into the Conclave process - and great story. Fast pace, easy to follow, and entertaining. I plan to purchase more Robert Harris books.

Engrossing

Roy Mcmillon (McMillan?) read very well and matches the tone of this story.
Robert Harris writes well.

I found this book almost as good as 'The Ghost', that Robert Harris wrote some years ago.

Our Dean, in telling his own story is an exact and very likeable person who begins to take a few risks and moves away from his established comfort zone in order to do his 'job' well.
Do not expect 'leaping over tall buildings' or 'spy vs spy' or contrived plots. You as reader or listener may guess the outcome and it really does not spoil the story at all. Another story you may find is about a man we only meet as a corpse. There is an absence perhaps of the high drama of Harris's Cicero trilogy and for me 'Conclave' remains compelling.
If you have already read and enjoyed Harris's other books and wonder how the election of a Pope could stand up to his other works, my only response is 'this book is well worth your credit and your time'.

More thrilling than a legal thriller. Wonder how the conclave is conducted in Beijing

More thrilling than a legal thriller. I wonder how the conclave is conducted in Beijing

wonderful narration and and excellent plot

a great insight into the workings of a conclave and the machinations behind the process

Dirty doings at the Vatican

I've enjoyed nearly all of Harris's novels, especially 'Pompeii', though I found the Cicero trilogy very tedious and gave up halfway through. 'Conclave' deals in minute detail with the election of a new Pope, plus a mildly thriller type plot. As usual, Harris has done his research and provides plenty of twists and turns to his plot, though for the reader who is not a Roman Catholic, and takes little interest in the Pope or the Church's internal affairs, the reaction might well be 'Does it really matter, and why should I care?' It's hard to give any more details of the story without committing some serious spoilers, so I'll leave it at that. It did strike me that the current outrage at the sins of the Vatican, covered-up child abuse, is given a very easy ride; in fact it hardly figures at all. No, not one of my favourites. The reader is excellent.