As a thief in the night

"As a Thief in the Night" by R. Austin Freeman is a suspenseful murder mystery set in the early 1900s, focusing on the perplexing death of the ailing Harold Monkhouse and the inquest that follows. When Harold's concerned brother, Reverend Amos, notices Harold's poor condition, he seeks medical advice, which leads to unsettling revelations about Harold's health. The arrival of doctors and the engagement of household members reveals secrets and sets a tone of uncertainty and suspicion for the central figures, including Barbara Monkhouse, Harold's wife, as the true nature of Harold's death becomes a puzzle to doctors and potentially something far more sinister, suggesting a crime waiting to be exposed.