Contrary to what you may read elsewhere, Conclave is not an Agatha Christie style murder mystery.  First, there are no murders within the story.  The Pope who if found deceased at the outset died from natural causes.  Apparently, he kept his health status close to the vest, for reasons that become clear through the actions of those in his inner circle following his death.  Additionally, none of the other players–cardinals, nuns and monsignors–wind up dead either.  Second, while there is mystery surrounding one key character, the plot is not dependent upon its resolution.  While the revelation of this person’s secret comes as a complete surprise, it doesn’t affect the actual outcome of this incredible and thoroughly engrossing story.

The genius of Conclave is in how it disguises the mystery at its core until the very end.  In the interim, the movie presents a series of ancillary mysteries that, as they are addressed, combine like puzzle pieces to reveal what the story was actually about.  Only then do we understand that the story was about how the pope did everything he could to ensure that the right man succeeded him.  In other words, the pope works in mysterious ways.