Two Truths and a Murder: A Phyllida Bright Mystery, Book 5

by Colleen Cambridge

While her famous employer is happily back home at Mallowan Hall, wrestling with her Belgian detective’s dilemma on board the Orient Express, Phyllida is finding her local renown as a sleuth has put her in high demand. A distraught Vera Rollingbroke suspects her husband of infidelity and has invited Phyllida to a dinner party to observe his behavior, particularly in regard to one Genevra Blastwick.

What she does observe at the party is that Genevra craves attention, in contrast to her shy sister Ethel. Genevra introduces a game called Two Truths and a Lie, and one of her questionable statements is that she once witnessed a murder. At this bold claim, the guests react with disbelief and pepper her with questions. Genevra remains cagey, withholding details, but insists this is not her lie.

The next morning Phyllida learns poor Ethel was purposely run down by a motorcar the previous night while inexplicably walking home alone from the party. She fears Genevra may have been the target, which means someone at the party is a killer—twice over. A chilling thought. With Genevra in potential danger—and Inspector Cork proceeding ponderously as usual—Phyllida takes it upon herself to unmask the killer. With two murders to solve, she will need to grill Genevra and the guests as well as re-examine any past sudden deaths or disappearances. And if she’s smart, she’ll look twice before crossing the road . . .

Audible Audio

Published November 13, 2025

About the author

Colleen Cambridge is the pen name of Colleen Gleason, an award-winning USA Today and New York Times bestselling author.

Colleen Cambridge writes mostly historical-set mysteries with famous people as the sidekick or friend of her protagonists and has a blast doing so. She's written about Agatha Christie's (fictional) housekeeper, Abe Lincoln's (fictional) aide, and Julia Child's (fictional) best friend in Paris.

Colleen lives in the midwest United States with her family and two dogs, and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3-1/2 Stars (rounded to 4 for the quality of the audiobook)

Another solid entry in the Phyllida Bright mystery series. It needs a bit of suspension of disbelief that a housekeeper of Agatha Christie’s would have time to solve crimes but, setting that aside, this is a fun, easy series with likable characters and solid mysteries.

And I’m wondering if Colleen Cambridge is a fan of Downton Abbey? Many of the character names and personalities bear a striking resemblance to characters from the show.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, then Colleen Cambridge’s Phyllida Bright series is a must read. Phyllida is the housekeeper for Agatha Christie. As the author creates murder mysteries for Poirot and Marple, Phyllida has developed a reputation for solving actual murders. Attending a dinner at a nearby estate, a guest suggests a game of Two Truths and a Lie. Genevra Blackstock loves to be the center of attention. After proposing the game, her revelations were her ability to speak several languages, her arrest for indecent exposure and witnessing a murder. She was not sure at the time that it was murder and has not reported it yet, but now she is pretty sure. As the other guests debate her answers, her sister Ethel grows increasingly uncomfortable. The party breaks up shortly after Genevra’s revelations and Phyllida is happy to make her escape. The next morning the news comes that Ethel is dead. She had fought with her sister and decided to walk home from the party. Found by the side of the road, she had been deliberately run over. Phyllida believes that she had been mistaken for Genevra and run down by one of the party guests to prevent her from talking. Ethel’s father knows that Phyllida has solved several murders and asks her to find his daugher’s killer. There are actually two murders to solve, but first she must discover the identity of the first victim. When her own life is put in danger she knows that she is close to an answer.

Phyllida has a supportive relationship with Agatha Christie, who encourages her involvement in the investigation. In the series’ opening stories she had a somewhat frosty attitude toward Bradford, the chauffeur. After he offered his support and saved her life in the past she gradually grew to depend on his assistance. He has always been attracted to her, but they have now reached a point in their relationship where she looks forward to his approach, adding a touch of romance to the mystery. Filled with twists, Cambridge keeps you guessing to an end that you will never see coming. I would like to thank Net Galley and Kensington Publishing or providing this book.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phyllida Bright, housekeeper for Agatha Christie at Mallowan Hall, is back, and her investigative prowess leads to a dinner invitation at the Rollingbroke's, where wife Vera fears her husband is cheating on her. The guests include the suspected paramour, although as the dinner goes on, Phyllida quickly discounts Vera's worries. However, after dinner, one of the Blastwick sisters, Genevra, proposes a new game--Two Truths and a Lie and scandalously begins by suggesting she has seen a murder. When her sister Ethel is killed walking home from the dinner party, I really liked the twists the story took on and as Phyllida's skills are tested as she snoops around Listleigh, always ahead of the beleaguered Inspector Cork.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I love this series. Phyllida Bright may be Agatha Christie's housekeeper, but she knows her way around solving mysteries. When someone announces they witnessed a murder during a dinner party, Phyllida is worried for the speaker. Unfortunately someone else is found dead. This leads Mrs. Bright and her handsome chauffeur friend Bradford on the hunt to track down the killer.