'Conclave,' thriller about electing a pope, gets our vote

Just three years ago, the eyes of the world were glued to the Vatican, watching for the telltale white smoke that would herald a new pope.

Now British novelist Robert Harris has cracked open the doors of the Sistine Chapel to imagine the mysterious, secretive process of elevating one man to near godliness. (What better setting for a locked-door mystery?)

Harris writes intelligent thrillers, many with a historical bent (Fatherland, An Officer and a Spy, Dictator). Conclave (Knopf, 286 pp., *** out of four stars) has a stately, dignified air, yet it quietly pulsates with intrigue. This may not be a rip-roaring page-turner, but Harris’ clever plot machinations slowly draw you in.

As Conclave opens, the pope (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Pope Francis, despite Harris’ disclaimer) has died. Cardinal Lomeli, the novel’s central character, is Dean of the College of Cardinals, which means he must oversee the cardinals’ vote for a new pope.

Divisions and tensions quickly surface between traditionalists (and those who want an Italian pope) and the more liberal wing of the church hierarchy. The immediate front runner is Cardinal Adeyemi of Nigeria, who would be the first black pope.

But we wouldn’t have much of a thriller if it were that easy. Adeyemi has a devastating secret, and there are rumors flying that another favorite candidate, the French-Canadian Tremblay, was dismissed from his duties by the pope the same day the Holy Father died.

And who is Benitez, a Filipino posted in Baghdad whose recent elevation to cardinal was never announced by the pope? As the vote drags on and ballots are counted, allegiances shift and new front runners emerge.

Ambition, sex scandals, financial corruption and terrorism all rear their ugly heads. And Harris saves one whopper of a surprise for the final pages. Could there be a recount? Nah. But a sequel? Maybe.