My thanks to Net Galley and Book Whisperer for this arc.

When I requested this book I thought it was the book that the movie was based on. It is not but still EXCELLENT!!
What does the Vatican do when the Pope dies, over 100 members of the Conclave are kidnapped, and later it is discovered the Pope's death was suspicious. That is the whole premise of this book. Finding the cardinals and discovering the kidnappers mission
Excellent book, excellent read, Great characters! Only thing I thought the pause with the history of the Cathars was distracting

This was a totally enjoyable read. Coming as close as it has on the tail of the real conclave, this one really held my attention with its descriptions.

What auspicious timing for the publication of this book! Anyone who has American Pope Fever has to pick up The Last Conclave. Those who also miss Robert Langdon will enjoy this history filled page turner.

The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper is a historical mystery/thriller. Pope John XXIV is found dead in his bed two years after he was elected Pope. The Cardinals are called to the conclave to elect a new Pope. They are sealed into the Sistine Chapel on the first day for the first vote. After several hours, those waiting for the smoke announcement become concerned. They break into the Chapel to find all of the Cardinals gone. No one had exited from any of the locked doors. Thus begins the search to find out what has happened and where they are.

Pope John had appointed Sister Elisabetta Celestino as his Secretary of State so she is now in charge of the Vatican until the Cardinals return. Her brother is the head of Vatican police. He, along with his people, discover they had been taken through a tunnel dug from a villa outside the perimeter of the grounds. Now begins the search, along with Italian police, government officials and France’s police when they determine they may be in France. A close friend of the Celestino family, Cal Donovan is on site to cover the conclave. When it is discovered that this has to do with an ancient religion the Cathers, he is swept into the investigation as he is a religious history professor from Harvard.

The book is well written and fast paced. It does spend a good amount of time explaining the history involved with the Cather religion which had been wiped out hundreds of years before. I did find this part a bit dragged out and do not feel it added that much to the story.

I would like to thank Net Galley and The Book Whisperer for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

A Gripping Vatican conspiracy

After the death of Pope John XXIV, the world braces for a new conclave but once the cardinals are sealed inside the Sistine Chapel, something inconceivable happens…..The Cardinals have vanished without a trace.

A vanished conclave, an empty Sistine Chapel and a secret buried for eight centuries.

What a thrilling read from the opening page till the very last, it was definitely a hard story to put aside. This mystery is of kidnapping and Catharism, a movement that thrived in Southern Europe in the 12th to the 14th centuries and was denounced as heretical leading to violent suppressions, Crusade and inquisitions by the Catholic Church. Mr. Cooper talks a lot about this in his book, quite interesting and informative.

The plot couldn’t be any faster and very suspenseful when CNN religious expert Carl Donovan on site to cover the conclave finds himself dragged into a global investigation and more so, when he uncovers the trail leading back to a centuries-old order…..one waiting in the shadows to strike…..As a result, the ancient secrets could and will shake the foundations of faith…The blend of the lost world of the Cathars with the present day crisis in the Catholic Church was seamless done and perfectly woven.

This story has taking me on a colourful journey to the most holy of place and has opened my eyes on part of history I had no knowledge of.

This religious thriller is worth every page…

Nicely said and nicely-done

When the pope dies suddenly and new one needs to be chosen. All the cardinals that are eligible have been locked behind the c!owed doors of the Sistine chapel. As everyone waits for the smoke to appear but nothing happens. And as the hours pass they know something is wrong. But when the doors are forced open there is no one inside. Where have all the cardinals disappeared to?
Now that they know that they have been taken they need help to get them back unharmed. Who can they turn to in their hour of need?Will the first female secretary of state be up to the task of getting them back?
A good solid read. Glenn Copper takes us on a colourful journey from the most holy of places to France and back. Good characters they each add to the thrilling read.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review.

I just finished a great book. The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper is available now. Pick it up! You won’t regret it.

3.75/5

Picked up this book due to current events of course. I love a good mystery as well, so this is a great mix. I've also read one of Glenn Cooper's book in high school (The Tenth Chamber) so I was at least familiar with his work.
As expected, it's very engaging and the suspense kept you at the edge of your seat so to speak. It kind of reminded me a little of Dan Brown, but that might just be the religious setting. While I wish there was more time to explore individual characters, I did enjoy the fast pace. Will definitely be picking up more books by Glenn Cooper.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review Glenn Cooper's "The Last Conclave". I thought, what with recent events, this might be an interesting read.
When Pope John XXIV suddenly dies, only two years after being elected, the Vatican is once again in the throes of Conclave: all of the eligible papabile must assemble in order to elect a successor. The world outside is waiting with bated breaths as the Cardinals are sequestered along with their doctor; some result is expected on the first day, not necessarily a new pope, but at least a sign. And when that sign never comes, the decision is made to breach. And they find an empty room. The Cardinals are gone.
Thus begins a race to find out a) how this could have possibly happened, b) where have they gone, c) who took them and d) what do they want?
Embroiled in the drama are the first female Secretary of State Elisabetta Celestino, her Police Chief brother Emlio, and a family friend and religious expert, Cal Donovan, who was onsite with CNN to cover the conclave.
There's a lot of history involved in the plot, and the author does go back in history to explore the roots of the conspiracy.
I wanted to love this book, but I really only liked it. The premise was good, but it occasionally got bogged down with repetitions and journeys into the past.

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and had believable and likeable characters. I would recommend this book to my friends and read other books by this author.

Book Review: The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper

Rating: 4 Stars

I just finished The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper, and it was quite the thrilling ride! The premise hooked me right away: a mysterious disappearance during a papal conclave that has been shrouded in secrecy for eight centuries. The story kicks off with the sudden death of Pope John XXIV, setting the stage for what should be a routine election. But when the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel to choose the next pope, hours go by without any sign of a vote or even the usual smoke signals. Then, in a jaw-dropping moment, the chapel is found completely empty—no cardinals in sight.

The plot quickly escalates as Cal Donovan, a CNN religion correspondent covering the conclave, gets pulled into an intense investigation. What follows is a gripping chase uncovering an ancient secret society that has been lurking in the shadows, poised to "cleanse" the Church’s sins in a chilling way. The blend of Vatican intrigue, historical mystery, and conspiracy kept me turning pages faster than I expected.

One of my favorite aspects was the historical connection to the Cathars—an intriguing thread that added real depth to the story. The author’s writing style is sharp and fast-paced, which made it easy and enjoyable to read. Also, shoutout to the book’s cover—it’s striking and definitely caught my eye before I even started reading.

Overall, The Last Conclave was a fun and engaging thriller that felt especially timely given recent the real-world conclave. The characters were well-drawn and believable, and the stakes felt genuinely high throughout. If you’re into Vatican conspiracies mixed with historical secrets and a fast-moving plot, this one’s worth checking out!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

The story is an exciting thriller that is fast-paced and has two different timelines: one explaining the past and the origins of Catharism, and the other following the kidnapping of the conclave. One was easy to follow for me and one not so much. The conclave and the kidnapping of the Cardinals really kept my interest until about 60% through when it delved deeply into Catharism...and I really had to focus to understand it all. I found this topic and its historical facts dating to the 1200's to be very deep...as well as the description of a perfect (citizen who performs a rite of Consolamentum to let their people enter heaven)

Central to the story is the hunt to find the missing Cardinals. This is the part of the book I liked the most and of course the rescue was exciting. I was please with how the story ended for the Cardinals, the new pope and Cal and Eli. I am certain I will think about this book for quite some time.

A thrilling read from start to finish, a masterful journey through the history of The Conclave and plenty of twists and turns.

The Last Conclave was read off the back of the sad passing of our own Pope Francis and the Conclave to elect his successor Pope Leo XIV the first American pope.

The book bought to mind the writing of both Dan Brown and Robert Harris. This book bought its own mystery and story of intrigue and history alongside plenty of late nights gripped by the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and BookWhisper for an opportunity to read an ARC. This is my personal review.

TY to NetGalley for a digital ARC...
Considering the events of the last several months, was hoping this would be enlightening. To a point, it was; however, I felt the need for a sharp penciled editor. Once the group responsible for the "crime" was id'd, the narrative got bogged down with over explanations and peripheral characters imo. Lots of potential just not great execution.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

A popular Pope is found dead in his bed only two years into his rule. The death is considered natural, as the man was overweight, had high blood pressure, and was repeatedly warned by his doctor to cut down on all his favorite sweet and fatty foods. But all of that comes into question when the Conclave called to elect a new Pope disappears!

Nothing is suspicious as the funeral and prescribed mourning period is observed and the Conclave solemnly is locked into the Sistine Chapel to begin their deliberations. All the world watches that famous chimney to see the smoke announce the results of the elections going on inside. But no smoke arises, and after a prolonged wait, the Chapel doors are forced to reveal an empty space. One hundred and sixteen Cardinals have disappeared, but the Chapel is still sealed. But there is a suspicious hole in the middle of the floor. Thus begins a worldwide hunt for the missing Conclave.

Why would anyone interfere with such a sacred ritual? When the abductors finally reveal their motives, it is equally startling: they want the Cardinals to allow full participation for women in the Church, and they want a nun selected as the new Pope!!

Eight hundred years ago, an obscure Christian sect, the Cathars, which was opposed to the Catholic Church, flourished in a small region in France. But the Church wiped them out completely about sever hundred years ago. Or did they? A Harvard University professor who has studied the Cathars sees parallels to the ancient religion in this case and is contacted by the Italian and French authorities to investigate the connection. What he finds astounds everyone as the book winds to its final showdown.

Thank you NetGalley and Book Whisperer for this eCopy to review

I just finished The Last Conclave, and it is a gripping thriller set in the Vatican. If you enjoy fast-paced mysteries with historical depth and religious intrigue, this one’s for you.

The story starts with the sudden death of Pope John XXIV, just two years into his papacy. As the world watches, the College of Cardinals gathers in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. But then, nothing. No smoke. No news. And when Vatican Secretary of State Elisabetta Celestino breaks protocol and opens the doors, the chapel is empty. The cardinals have vanished.

Enter Cal Donovan, a CNN religion expert who quickly finds himself pulled into a global investigation. What follows is a high-stakes chase through ancient secrets, shadowy orders, and a conspiracy that’s been buried for centuries. The pacing is relentless, and the stakes feel genuinely high. I loved how Cooper blended real Church history with speculative fiction giving the story a grounded yet mysterious feel.

The Last Conclave is full of atmosphere and high tension, and the sheer audacity of the plot created a smart, cinematic thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night.

A gripping and refreshingly different Vatican thriller.
This book weaves together history, religion, power, and fanaticism into a fast-paced and compelling story. The mysterious disappearance of the entire conclave from the Sistine Chapel is a bold and intriguing premise, and the plot only deepens from there. I especially appreciated the Cathar storyline—an ancient conflict brought into a modern setting with a fresh and thought-provoking twist. It added depth and historical weight to the narrative without slowing down the pace. A fascinating read that stands out in the religious thriller genre.

Following Pope John’s unexpected death and funeral, the conclave of Cardinals enters the Sistine Chapel to vote for the new Pope. But after several hours there is no smoke to show the result of the ballot, when the doors are opened the Chapel is empty.
A mystery of kidnapping and of the Cathars, the story slips between now and the 12th century when the Roman Catholic Church wiped out the Cathars in Southern France.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

A brilliant read.
A fast paced read that keep me hooked from the very first page I found it so hard to put down!

The Conclave is a timely story that called to me. The book alternates between the past and the present. As is typical, after the sudden death of Pope John XXIV the cardinals are brought to the Vatican to form a conclave.

When the cardinals are locked inside, they are expected to have two votes that day. But time passes and no smoke appears from the smokestack, people begin to worry. They force their way inside to find all the cardinals allowed to vote are missing.

This thriller about the inner workings of the Catholic Church. The mystery itself was interesting and well researched. But I hoped for something a little more dramatic and with less revenge minded persons.