A GRIPPING VATICAN MYSTERY OF POWER, SECRECY, AND BETRAYAL

A vanished conclave. An empty Sistine Chapel. And a secret buried for eight centuries.

From internationally bestselling author Glenn Cooper comes a gripping Vatican conspiracy thriller that has already topped the charts in Italy.

When Pope John XXIV is found dead in his bed just two years after his election, the world braces for a new conclave. But as the cardinal electors are sealed inside the Sistine Chapel, something unthinkable happens.

Hours pass. No smoke rises. No vote is announced.

And when Vatican Secretary of State Elisabetta Celestino breaks protocol to open the doors—she finds the chapel empty. The cardinals have vanished without a trace.

CNN religion expert Cal Donovan is on-site to cover the conclave, but soon finds himself swept into a global investigation. As panic spreads and theories abound, Cal uncovers a chilling trail leading back to a centuries-old order—one that has waited in the shadows to cleanse the sins of the Church… with blood.

Ancient secrets. Ruthless power. And a final reckoning that will shake the foundations of faith.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What Readers Are Saying:

“A remarkable book! I loved it, from beginning to the end. The author wove seamlessly between present day and the 1200’s in educating the reader about the Cathars. As a non-Catholic, it was very easy to follow and understand the difference between the traditional Catholicism and Catherism. The book also wove a storyline that made you want to keep reading till the end. Bravo!” Amazon Review

“A thought provoking thriller. It uses high drama and intrigue to dissect the process of electing a pope against an historic subplot of the atrocities committed centuries ago by the Catholic Church. The author creates a real page turner with gripping storylines and well developed and empathetic characters.” Amazon Review