The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper is a story, based on historic events and current time possibilities, that will keep you turning pages well into the night. I found this book to been informative concerning the process of selecting a Pope when the current Pope dies. When the book was written, the author would not have had indication that Pope Francis would die. This made the book interesting and timely in that it explained how the Conclave works. The book also had a historical reference to a period in the 13th century in France where a group of people disagreed with that pope and the consequence they received during that time. I was so intrigued by the historical aspect, that I researched the information from the book and found that it was historically accurate - minus the "poetic license" that the author injected into the story.

It all came together with a story that will stay with you for a long time. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley.com and Book Whisperer and I always review every book that I read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend. The plot and characters are well developed and the historical information is accurate. Enjoy.

Glenn Cooper is a new author for me so I wasn’t sure what to expect. At the beginning I thought it was a bit like Dan Brown and the film Conclave, however a massive bombshell turned this book on its head and took it in a direction that was new an exciting. I’ve already recommended this book to others.

Timely, exciting, very well written book. Timely because of the recent election of Pope Leo. Exciting because I couldn't put it down. Educational in it's explanation of the history of the Cathars. Well developed characters. Plot, while a bit out there, was interesting. A little research and I found that the author has used the two main characters before, in his earlier books. I will definitely be adding those to my TBR pile. Well done. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I find stories involving the Vatican fascinating. An institution shrouded in history and mystery and this fast paced thriller has everything I hoped for. Mysterious death of Pope ( rings a bell!), secrets and misdirections, it’s a glorious mix of an international thriller along with real life as the story revolves around the conclave, I loved the Robert Harris book and this is just as exciting. I haven’t read Dan Brown, but seen parts of a film which involved a lot of chasing around and there are elements of that here. But Cooper is a better writer than Brown ( I abandoned the first Brown book after very few pages because it’s so badly written). This is gripping and loosely based on known fact. Loved it.

Great mix of genres As the author weaves a great tale which includes a love story (or two), a history lesson, and lots of church politics. When the pope dies, it’s time for a conclave..when the doors close, the cardinal disappear, and the plots begins. Their kidnap was a masterful scheme, the reason is expertly revealed, and the tensions builds until a well-conceived conclusion is achieved..

This is an interesting, if unbelievable novel about the recent death of a beloved Pope and the Conclave which follows. All goes as planned after the Pope's funeral to the first day of the Conclave, except the first day produces no smoke to signal a vote for the new pontiff. After several hours, Vatican officials discover the entire College of Cardinals has been kidnapped in a bizarre, planned event.

The story takes off from there as police forces try to find who kidnapped the conclave and what they want, while at the same time internal political forces cause turmoil in the Vatican for control of the Catholic Church.

This was a free ARC offered by the publisher in return for an unbiased review. It held my interest and I give it 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks for the opportunity to review.

I was given a free copy of this book to review from NetGalley. With the papal conclave being a recent event and being a fan of last year's film, "Conclave," this book appealed to me as soon as I learned about it. I enjoyed the first half of the book the most - the historical background information, character introductions, and the set-up of what becomes the central conflict of the story. The premise is unique and not something I would have ever expected to happen. The second half of the book is a bit slower and I felt it took a long time to get to the point. I was not aware that this was a part of the Cal Donovan series. This makes me want read more in this series. Overall this is definitely a book you should check out if the subject interests you.

Fantastic! I enjoyed reading this book! The relevance of what has recently happened with the Pope passing away intrigues me. The Cathar religion is interesting too. I admire Sabine and Elisabetta equally. They are both strong women with great leadership qualities. Cal is amazing and I'm glad that he found his love. I liked the author's writing style and I'll be reading more books by him.

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed diving into the world created by Glenn Cooper, all the more so because the theme of the book happened to be particularly relevant at the time I read it.

I truly appreciated the opportunity to explore the inner workings of the Vatican and the conclave, expertly explained through the eyes of our main character, Cal Donovan, a specialist in the field. The investigation is cleverly constructed, with realistic, engaging characters, and the mystery remains intact until about halfway through the novel, when the protagonists begin to piece things together.

As a French reader, I was especially intrigued by the references to the Cathars, which added an extra layer of interest for me. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this historical movement.

Thank you to the publisher Book Whisperer who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

The Last Conclave has quite an interesting premise and considering recent events it definitely sounded like a book I would enjoy. Unfortunately for me, it just didn’t hit the mark. I found it took a while to get going and my interest waned really early on.

Didn’t really like the historical flashbacks but I see why they were there. Fun read following the recent conclave

I absolutely loved this book! It was quite timely reading it soon after the actual conclave was done in Rome and I enjoyed this suspenseful and intense novel!

I requested this ARC because Angels and Demons (with a similar setting a premise) is one of my favourite ever books.

This was good, well written and the pacing was good.
I think books like this are so interesting.

I really enjoyed The Last Conclave! The set-up was gripping right from the start, and the concept felt fresh and timely, especially with all the intrigue around papal succession. The mix of political drama, religious stakes, and thriller-style action kept things moving at a great pace. I loved how it balanced weighty themes with real suspense. My only minor struggle was keeping track of all the names (there were a lot) but it didn’t take away from the overall impact. A smart, fast-paced read with a unique premise. I didn’t even realize it was part of a series until I had finished, so it can function as a standalone book as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for this book. This was a very fast paced and engaging book that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to anyone who like a bit of old religion mixed with mystery!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all.opinjons expressed are mine.

This was a timely read that tells the story of a dead pope and what happens when a new pope is. Eing selected. Mysterious ,engaging ,well written and a page turner. Absolutely enjoyed it.

So much in keeping with the present conclave conducted just weeks ago, this story sounds fantastical but very believable despite the secrecy, the hidden truths, but then that is the Vatican.

Starting with a much loved Pope who dies within two years of being elected, we then go into conclave and this is where the history starts. An entire conclave of cardinals disappears, kidnapped by a group of believers thought to have been erased from eight centuries before, the Cathars, and their demands for female representation as a pope amongst other demands.

The story is riveting, history detailed and very easily understood. The workings of the Vatican, the political wheeling and dealing, the ugly facets of the Church like the paedophile priests being swept under a rug and forgotten but at the same time what the church is trying to do, despite the obstacles it faces within its own community.

I do not know whether the book will appeal to those who do not know much about the catholic faith, but for me personally it was an excellent read.

The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect moment, with global interest in papal elections at a high following the recent selection of Pope Leo. The novel takes a bold and intriguing turn by centering on a nun, Secretary of State Elisabetta Celestino, who discovers that the conclave meant to elect a new pope has mysteriously gone silent. What follows is a tightly plotted thriller with a well-executed mystery, solid pacing, and two compelling leads. The violence caught me a bit off guard—more than I anticipated—but not enough to detract from the story. Reportedly a bestseller in Italy, this one should resonate with fans of intelligent religious thrillers, especially those intrigued by the inner workings of the Vatican.

"The Last Conclave" by Glenn Cooper is a gripping historical thriller that whisks readers away to 16th-century Rome. The story follows a conclave of cardinals tasked with electing a new Pope but the proceedings are marred by intrigue, murder, and a mysterious but interesting plot. Cooper masterfully weaves together historical facts and suspenseful fiction, creating a thrilling narrative. With its intricate plot and complex characters this book is perfect for fans of historical thrillers & mystery novels. The author's expertise in blending history and suspense makes for a compelling read that's hard to put down.

Thank you NetGalley for access to the e-book!

Wow...this was a ride and a half. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The book felt really well researched and not like it was written in 2 days (which a lot of books that come out these days feel like). Catholics, if even half of the historical references in here are historically accurate, you guys have one hell of a history...
I must admit that there were a LOT of characters so a few times I did have moment of "who's that again?" but the story was so intriguing that all of the characters had purpose to them. I am also not the best at remembering details that are connected to each character and I sometimes have to page back but the characters were all distinct enough for me to tell everyone apart. I honestly believe this book would make a great limited series!
I'm not usually one for time line changes that come out of nowhere but every past reference that was brought up held significance. I especially loved Elisabetta and how part of the story showed how emotional men can really get in the way of resolving conflicts so much faster.

One thing that did bother me a bit was the consistent emphasis on how dark skinned Gaby was and the way it was described with really dark objects. I think it only really needed to be mentioned once and also he could've just said that she was dark-skinned instead of "coal-black" :/

besides that the book was really great and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a lot of suspense, thriller and a touch of history :))

They weren't lying when they said that the book is 'gripping'!

Ps. Love that the gays were unexpectedly featured

PPS. Cal and Elisabetta <3