Review of Fallen Kings
Posted: 18 Jun 2025, 21:55
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fallen Kings" by June Gillam.]
Hillary Broome is back! This time around, she, her husband Ed, and her openly lesbian daughter Claire are heading to Rome, as Claire is considering studying there. Meanwhile, a group of staunch traditionalists in the Catholic Church is frustrated with the rise of women becoming monks and bishops, and homosexuality no longer being condemned, so they’re resorting to desperate measures. They believe that these women are cursed by demons and plan to kidnap one or more to perform an exorcism as an example to others not to go against traditional values. They snatch an abortionist and a vocal nun, then set their sights on a lesbian, and the one that catches their eye happens to be Hillary’s daughter.
Can Hillary save Claire from the clutches of these extremists? Read Fallen Kings by June Gillam to find out.
This is the sixth book in the Hillary Broome series and the fourth that I’ve read. I loved the first three and even reviewed and rated one of them as a 5-star read.
This is the first time that I’m going to state that I wish I hadn’t read the others first. The first three were so engrossing and built the relationship between Hillary and Ed so well, while solving crimes, that I was captivated. Hillary was a strong, fierce, and independent person, and I adored her. In Fallen Kings, she’s become, for the most part, a simpering, whiny, needy wife, mother, and daughter. Yes, I understand that her daughter is in peril, but, and here’s the other reason I wish I hadn’t read the previous books, we’ve been through this before. She’s had to rescue her daughter on more than one occasion, and after a while, this gets a little stale.
Also, unlike the previous books, this one is a slow burn, with lots of build-up around the extremists and their motives. Hillary and her family only make brief appearances for the first half of the book.
Now, let’s set aside the fact that I know this family. If I had picked this book as a stand-alone novel, my opinion would have changed. It’s a fascinating look at how far religious zealots will go, and that dangers still exist for LGBTQI+ people. The final chapters are page-turners and will keep the reader engaged well into the night.
I’m going to rate Fallen Kings 4 out of 5 stars as I struggled with the first half of the book, and kept waiting for the Broome family to take center stage again. Also, there was a fair amount of homophobia and negative discussions about women. I understand that part is relevant to the motives of the villains, but I felt uncomfortable reading it, and feel other readers may feel the same way.
People who enjoy stories about religious zealots and families coming together in crisis might enjoy this one more than I did.
******
Fallen Kings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Hillary Broome is back! This time around, she, her husband Ed, and her openly lesbian daughter Claire are heading to Rome, as Claire is considering studying there. Meanwhile, a group of staunch traditionalists in the Catholic Church is frustrated with the rise of women becoming monks and bishops, and homosexuality no longer being condemned, so they’re resorting to desperate measures. They believe that these women are cursed by demons and plan to kidnap one or more to perform an exorcism as an example to others not to go against traditional values. They snatch an abortionist and a vocal nun, then set their sights on a lesbian, and the one that catches their eye happens to be Hillary’s daughter.
Can Hillary save Claire from the clutches of these extremists? Read Fallen Kings by June Gillam to find out.
This is the sixth book in the Hillary Broome series and the fourth that I’ve read. I loved the first three and even reviewed and rated one of them as a 5-star read.
This is the first time that I’m going to state that I wish I hadn’t read the others first. The first three were so engrossing and built the relationship between Hillary and Ed so well, while solving crimes, that I was captivated. Hillary was a strong, fierce, and independent person, and I adored her. In Fallen Kings, she’s become, for the most part, a simpering, whiny, needy wife, mother, and daughter. Yes, I understand that her daughter is in peril, but, and here’s the other reason I wish I hadn’t read the previous books, we’ve been through this before. She’s had to rescue her daughter on more than one occasion, and after a while, this gets a little stale.
Also, unlike the previous books, this one is a slow burn, with lots of build-up around the extremists and their motives. Hillary and her family only make brief appearances for the first half of the book.
Now, let’s set aside the fact that I know this family. If I had picked this book as a stand-alone novel, my opinion would have changed. It’s a fascinating look at how far religious zealots will go, and that dangers still exist for LGBTQI+ people. The final chapters are page-turners and will keep the reader engaged well into the night.
I’m going to rate Fallen Kings 4 out of 5 stars as I struggled with the first half of the book, and kept waiting for the Broome family to take center stage again. Also, there was a fair amount of homophobia and negative discussions about women. I understand that part is relevant to the motives of the villains, but I felt uncomfortable reading it, and feel other readers may feel the same way.
People who enjoy stories about religious zealots and families coming together in crisis might enjoy this one more than I did.
******
Fallen Kings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon