"[An] earth-shaking exposé of clerical corruption ... A truly remarkable publishing event."
— National Catholic Reporter

"Explosive"
— The Tablet

"A bewildering and vast piece of reporting ... Jaw-dropping."
— Andrew Sullivan, New York Magazine

"Stunned may be a much-overused word, but it’s the best one I know to describe my wonderment at the dimensions of what has come into view."
— James Alison, Theologian

The worldwide publication of Frédéric Martel’s In the Closet of the Vatican in early 2019 sent shockwaves through the religious and secular world. The book’s revelations of clericalism, hypocrisy, cover-ups and widespread homosexuality in the highest echelons of the Catholic Church provoked questions that the most senior Vatican officials — and even the Pope himself — were forced to act upon. It would go on to be a New York Times bestseller.

In the Closet of the Vatican describes the double lives of priests, including the widespread use of gay dating apps in Rome and the hypocrisy of homophobic cardinals living with their young ‘assistants’; the cover-up of numerous cases of sexual abuse; sinister scheming in the Vatican; political conspiracy overseas and the historic resignation of Benedict XVI.

In this revised and expanded edition, Martel reflects on the effect the book has had and the events that have come to light since it was first released. From his unique position as a respected journalist with uninhibited access to some of the Vatican’s most influential people and private places, he presents a shattering account of a system rotten to its very core.

FRÉDÉRIC MARTEL is a French researcher and writer. He is the author of ten books, including In the Closet of the Vatican, which was a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into 20 languages. The book was a number one bestseller in France for eight weeks and became a bestseller in 15 other countries. As a journalist, Martel also hosts a weekly radio show on media and culture for French National Public Radio. He lives in Paris