Conclave
Robert Harris

For the editor of a Catholic weekly, nothing matches a conclave for drama, for intrigue and getting the adrenalin going. I’ve been fortunate enough to oversee coverage of two conclaves and Robert Harris’ fictional account revived memories of the extraordinary excitement surrounding the election of a pope. Journalists, like the rest of the public, stay on the outside during the election. Once the doors of the Sistine Chapel swing shut, the press and the TV cameras are kept well away from the members of the College of Cardinals as they deliberate over who will be the next successor to Peter.