Conclave was published by Hutchinson in 2016. Cardinal Lomeli, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, presides over the conclave to elect a new Pope after the sudden death of the Holy Father. As 118 cardinals are locked inside the Sistine Chapel, Lomeli discovers that each of the leading candidates — an Italian liberal, an African conservative, a Canadian moderate, and an ambitious Filipino — harbors a secret that could disqualify him. And then a final cardinal arrives, a man nobody expected, appointed in secret by the dead Pope.
The novel was Harris at his most formally elegant: a closed-room mystery set within the most theatrical ritual in Western civilization. The conclave itself — the locked doors, the colored smoke, the ancient protocols — provided a natural thriller framework, and Harris exploited every aspect of it.
The Film Adaptation
The 2024 film adaptation, directed by Edward Berger and starring Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lomeli, was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, significantly boosting interest in both the novel and Harris’s broader catalogue. The film’s success has made Conclave one of the most sought-after Harris first editions.
Collecting Conclave
First edition (Hutchinson, London, 2016): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- UK first edition, fine in jacket: $20–$40
- US first edition (Knopf): $10–$20
Projected values (2026–2036): Strong appreciation. The film adaptation has dramatically increased demand for first editions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Conclave made into a film? Yes. The 2024 film directed by Edward Berger starred Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lomeli and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini. It was a critical and commercial success, earning multiple Academy Award nominations and introducing Harris to a far wider audience.