Glenn Cooper's "The Last Conclave" has a great premise and some decent characters. While this book is apparently the 5th book in a series about Cal Donovan, Harvard Professor and advisor to several Popes, you don't need to be a long time reader to keep up with what's happening. Cal himself is fairly dull. He has two character traits, and he's not a man of action. Kind of a like a bargain bin Robert Langdon from the DaVinci Code. The Italian and French characters are much more interesting, and Cal just sort or observes.

Overall the book starts very strong, and given the recent Papal Conclave, it's clear Cooper's done his homework, but the story falls apart in the last quarter as it rushes it's ending and gives short shrift to the antagonists, whose connection to the very interesting Church history that drives their actions doesn't feel earned. It's sort of dropped in there to give the criminals their motives and falls flat.

The history is is very weld told and actually made me want to learn more about the subject. Overall not a bad book, but one that could have used a bit more time in the oven.

Thanks to the Book Whisperer and NetGalley for the ARC.

The last book by this author, The Cosmos Key, I wasn’t a fan of, but this is a return to form, being on trend, so topical with a hint of fortune telling, considering we have recently elected an American Pope. The pomp and circumstance of the Papal election is still fresh in the minds of many people, and this was an education in itself, when the novel gave so much historical background about the Cathar religion.
The Cathars were a religious sect, much feared by the Roman Catholic Church for their simplistic approach to prayer and the equality towards females. I learnt more from this novel than the few months of study I did about the exploits of Simon de Montfort, many decades ago.
I liked the central characters very much. Cal is a passionate lecturer and a very loyal and supportive to his friends.
Elisabetta is a wonderfully strong and capable woman, somewhat adrift in a sea of misogyny and other outdated attitudes. Despite many tests, she remains resolute and determined, despite family tragedy. The issue of feminism and how this movement is seen today still shows there is much work to be done. Perhaps the Cathars did have all the answers.
The kidnapping was complex and a real work out for the brain cells, you could feel the tension and dread during the hostage situation, and there were plenty of jaw dropping moments. The challenges and frustration during the attempts to find and rescue them were portrayed very well. The ending was satisfying and almost convincing, there had to be many coincidences to make it all work.
I found this novel to be a real thriller and page turner. Like many others, I have seen the film Conclave and that and this book work perfectly together.
A five star read, most enjoyable.
My thanks to Netgalley and Book Whisperer, the publishers for my copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave this review to Goodreads and Amazon UK today.

I really, really struggled with it. In the first 50 pages there were like 72587 names - and I had a really hard time keeping them. It got better but I was expecting a way bigger Mystery. Also I had to remind myself a lot of times that I'm NOT reading about Robert Langdon.

Like many I wanted to read this book because of the recent death of Pope Francis. I found the section dealing with conclave to be interesting but there was not enough detail about it.

The Last Conclave is interesting and well-written, but for me it contained way too much church history. What a novel idea, though, kidnapping the Cardinals right out of the Sistine Chapel.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Pope unexpectedly passes away. This sets in motion the centuries old protocols and traditions that dictate the selection of the next spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. As the conclave of cardinals convenes the world waits for their votes. But, when hours pass without any signs from the locked room, the doors are opened to reveal that the cardinals – every single one of them – have disappeared.

This is the beginning of The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper. It’s a fast-paced thriller that’s well-written and compelling. At first, there are quite a few characters to keep track of, but the author does a good job helping his readers identify them. The plot is well-conceived and very interesting as well. Is it believable? Maybe not entirely, but the basis for the story is conceivable. The Last Conclave is not only entertaining, it also provides some insight into the history of the Catholic church, which I found particularly fascinating. This is definitely a book I enjoyed. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

This type of fiction is not normally my read. But I became engrossed straight away. It was intriguing and at the same time educational. The times it stepped back to 1200s I struggled a little, but realised this was the historical part of the plot.
It was a great read and for me to enjoy it says a lot.

Overall, I just think this book wasn’t for me.

The idea seemed promising, especially with the recent events. I really liked the main characters, but I sometimes got confused because so many characters were introduced. I’m not a Christian, and learning about how the church is organized and some of its history was actually really interesting.
I won’t go into spoilers about the whole crime, but it just felt unrealistic and left me mostly indifferent. What bugged me the most was the phone part at the end. It felt way too convenient and came out of nowhere since it hadn’t been mentioned at all until it was suddenly used.

The untimely death of a popular Pope shocks the world and the process of selecting the next one begins.

The world is watching and waiting for the signal of white smoke to appear, but nothing happens.

The Vatican Secretary of State, Elisabetta Celestino, is the first woman to hold such a senior position. She has to make a decision to interrupt the Conclave and see what has happened to the Cardinals. When she unlocks the door, they are missing.

With the help of Catholic historian and religious expert, Cal Donovan, Elisabetta and the police work to uncover the mystery and find the missing Cardinals and save the Vatican.

The novel is told from a variety of perspectives so that the reader can see all sides of a complex and fast paced adventure.

Cooper gives insight into the world of the Cardinals and their practices. Elisabetta faces the misogyny of traditionalists and the support of the progressives.

He also explored the beliefs and fate of the Cathars with chapters that explore the historical suppression of the sect that was labeled as heretical during the inquisition. These were engaging and interesting and did not impact the pace of the novel.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. It’s fast paced and cinematic. I didn’t particularly warm to the protagonist, Cal Donovan – but I did enjoy his scenes with Elizabetta’s family. The ending was satisfying and the whole plot is just about plausible. This is a good read with an eye-catching cover that will definitely benefit from recent events and people’s interest in the Vatican.


Thank you to Netgalley, Book Whisperer, and Glenn Cooper for my gifted copy of The Last Conclave

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

Thank you to Netgalley and Book Whisperer for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is not a book that I normally would pick out to read. I did end up really enjoying this book. I loved the storyline! I would definitely recommend this book.

Rating: 4.5- 5⭐

Review:
✨Thank you to BookWhisperer and #NetGalley for this #ARC! This review was voluntarily written by me.
✨#TheLastConclave is what I expect for a thriller book that is a mix of history and current day adventure, or crime.
✨This is my second book from the author and this book really exceeded my expectations, because I did not really vibing with my first book from the author.
✨This book has detailed flashbacks, creative and daring kidnapping, elaborate crime, compelling protagonists, annoying characters, a tiny bit of romance, antagonists with understandable motives, mini conflicts along with the main issue, and POVs from various sides.
✨Basically, I don’t really have anything to dislike in this book.
✨Then, I just realised that this book is the sixth installment of the series, so that’s why some of the characters are familiar and/or comfortable with each other.
✨I also do think that the author is really comfortable in writing this story, especially in writing Cal Donovan.
✨Now, I’m interested in reading this series from the beginning. Well…
✨In conclusion, I do recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a novel with a vibe like the Robert Langdon’s series. If you pick this book, I hope that you’ll enjoy this story like I do.

The Vatican, a mysterious death, and a horrific revenge plot 800 years in the making.

This fast paced thriller will have you glued to its pages as the police and foreign agencies try to stop an event that would change the course of history.

Glen Cooper penned a phenomenal story with strong characters, exciting plot and satisfying conclusion. This is my new favourite book of 2025. This will definately be in my reread list.

Thank you to the publisher and neutrally for a free advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thought this book would be right up my street. I started to lose interest at the beginning too many characters bejng introduced yes I get there are lots if people at the Vatican but I'm not one for lots if characters. Great idea for a story though.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

This is a new author to me and the book title read sold it to me
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and very topical in light of the pope etc



Highly recommend

I enjoyed this book. The story was interesting, the characters were relatable and the ending was perfect. I did start to loose interest around 80-90% but pushed through that part and was happy that I did. The book has some errors that will need to be edited before publishing but it wasnt distracting enough to make me stop reading.

I loved this book! It pulled me right in and held me there until the very end. When the pope dies unexpectedly the concave meets to appoint a new pope until the concave goes missing after day 1. What I particularly liked about this book was the pacing and complexity of the storyline. The pacing was impeccable. Not only that, but the way the author seamlessly shifted between the story of the cardinals, the 'villans' and the investigators to give is a 360-degree view of the entire storyline was really fun. I almost preferred it than a quick chapter at the end to fill in the blanks. There was also enough detail and complexity to keep it interesting without going so deep into symbology or down an illuminati like road that it will keep causal readers engaged.

I am excited to have been introduced to a new to me author in such a fabulous way.

My rating for this book is based on the fact, I could not stop comparing it to Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series. I so wanted it to be of the same vibe, but the characters did not interest me or did the Cathar storyline. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but just did not meet the expectations that I had for the book.

This is my second novel by Glenn Cooper and I liked it even more than my first!! An extremely gripping plot, and Cooper's writing is incredibly easy to follow and he moves the plot along at a breakneck speed. I was surprised at just how much I did enjoy this, especially with the Pope's recent passing. I appreciate his ability to bring up issues in a way where he communicates them without bias, simply to expand the story. I genuinely can't wait to pick up another of his soon!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title!!

What a great read! I loved the dual storyline regarding the Catholics and the Cathars and the history of the two. This story was well drawn out, it was a fascinating read and I enjoyed every moment. You are drawn into the characters and their individual stories. There was drama and tension keeping you captivated until the end. The characters were well written and completely believable. My first Glenn Cooper book but by no means my last.