Cardinal Anthony Budd had no desire to become Pope. Also, it was unlikely since he was an outsider and would be only the second British Pope in history. When the papal conclave was hopelessly deadlocked, Budd was surprisingly chosen. This “reluctant Pope” accepted, abiding to the will of God, just like he did when he received the calling to join the priesthood.

As Pope Innocent XIV, he sought to elevate the poor both spiritually and materially. He wanted the powerless to have a voice in Rome and be given respect and dignity.

Part of that belief may have been due to a secret he was carrying. Though he didn’t think it was that significant, he still did not want to reveal it. However, when he is blackmailed by someone who is aware of his past, he must make an important decision.

Yes, you may think you’ve read this before or have watched it on the big screen, but the "The Silence of Flesh" is unique and thought-provoking. In fact, I don’t think that the title is indicative of the story. In any event, we learn about Vatican politics, and what one will do to advance and maintain their position of power. This includes betraying a close friend and throwing their principles aside for expediency. However, I think as we gradually learn about the man, Tony Budd and his past, his actions provide a more meaningful impact on the plot, than those of his detractors.

The ending was a complete surprise, but it made sense and kept me thinking for days. Two questions that still comes up in my mind are: "Is it ever worthwhile to hide your true identity and what are the consequences?" and “Can Anyone really escape their past?”

"The Silence of Flesh is a page-turner that will affect readers in different ways. A must read!

This review will be posted on UnderratedReads on June 30, 2025

Another great Glenn Cooper book. The long conclave causes ripples amongst the cardinals, allegiances are made. The new pope has a secret and someone tries to blackmail him,. How this plays out is the premise of the book.

I was not familiar with this author but given the recent demise and election of a new pope as well as the movie Conclave, I thought I would give "Silence of the Flesh" a read to see how differently it may have treated the conclave process. I was immediately drawn into the author's prose as well as the way in which the story repeatedly left the present and returned to the stories of the major players, especially that of the main character Anthony Budd. The prose is excellent and while some parts of the story echo Conclave the movie (e.g. the main character doesn't want to be pope despite several repeatedly voting for him; the clash between progressive cardinals and traditionalists, etc.) Budd's story line was a complete surprise and the stories of his conflicted childhood and those of random folks he encountered who had experienced the same conflict, was a great read. I had high hopes for an ending that echoed Budd's good will and ideas. Perhaps this was too idealistic or hopeful on my part as the ending was incredibly disappointing and dark though perhaps more realistic given our times and attitudes. So this is a hard book to recommend so I give it a partial thumbs recommendation for the great prose and character development and a thumbs down for the resolution of the story.

An interesting story about the politics of the Church. It pits traditional belief with the changes in society today. The characters are flawed but realistic.

This gripping drama focuses on the struggles of what makes us who we are. In an unexpected controversy the main character is scrutinized for his private thoughts and scandalized for things people made unjust assumptions about. This novel explores how people's perceptions and bias can influence decisions that could change the face of the Catholic faith. The Silence of Flesh is another 5 star review for Glen Cooper. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to challenge their beliefs and evaluate what it means to be a child of God. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book to review.

In this book, we get a front row seat to a modern conclave. The 2nd longest in history. The voting is tied. With an unexpected result, our new Pope is off on an adventure in Columbia and I think I'm in for a series of adventures as in other Cooper books. But that's not to be.

Our new Pope, he has a carefully guarded secret that will push Catholic doctrine to the limits. This book is about palace intrigue in the Vatican and LGBTQ+ issues in the Catholic Church. It's about defining masculine and feminine.

There is a strong social agenda to this book creating tension in the story. It is a mental exercise. What if the Pope wasn't the man everyone thought he was.

This particular book by Glenn Cooper is short of adventure, suspense, and mystery. But it is a serious character study.

If you're new to Glenn Cooper, many of his adventures revolve around the Catholic Church. The books are well-researched with characters that are easy to understand. He easily blends social issues and religion.

I found the ending unsatisfactory. Can't say more since I don't want to add spoilers. In a way, predictable.

This is your book if you're interested in digging deep into LGBTQ+ issues.

Glenn Cooper’s The Silence of the Flesh takes us into the enter working of the Catholic Conclave as the. Cardinals gather to elect their next pope. Anthony Budd, a quiet, young, devout cardinal rises to the front when scandals and secrets eliminate the front runners. But Pope Innocent, Anthony Budd, has secrets of his own which become known and threatens his leadership as pope. Interesting read.

A very thought provoking story. Nobody is more surprised than Cardinal Anthony Budd when he's elected as Pope. After the election, his papacy takes a nasty turn and he has to deal with intolerance and back stabbing. The story's ending is very emotional. Very well written.
Thanks to Netgalley, Book Whisperer, and Glenn Cooper for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.