Book Log 2017 #6: Conclave by Robert Harris

Taking a break from historical fiction, in this novel Harris depicts the inside workings of a papal election, from the ceremony surrounding the process to the dirty laundry that makes leading candidates for the office fall by the wayside.

Cardinals are not allowed to talk about conclaves, and while details inevitably come out the lack of public information presents a mostly blank canvas for someone writing about a fictional one. Harris uses this canvas fairly effectively, though there are times where the book heads out towards Dan Brown territory, not always to its benefit.

There are several surprises along the way, with the largest surprise at the end of the book (one that I kind of suspected, though wasn't fully convinced). I won't say more than that about it.

Out of all of Harris's contemporary novels this is probably the one I liked the most, though I tend to like all of his historical fiction better.