Thieves in the Night : Chronicle of an Experiment was written in 1946. Originally intended to be the first of a trilogy, Koestler later concluded that the book stood on its own and plans for further novels made redundant.
Based on the author''s own experiences in a kibbutz, it sets up a stage in describing the historical roots of the conflict between Arabs and Jewish settlers in the British ruled Palestine.
The book tackles many subjects, such as Zionism and idealism. Koestler was Zionist early in life, but later abandoned the idea.
The title is a Biblical reference, quoted on the title page:
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." (2 Peter 3:10)
