The war was momentarily inactive, and the newspapers seized with avidity on this crime in fashionable life: "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" was the topic of the moment. 
With a lull in the war, the newspapers went big on this story about a crime in high society.
With the war in full flow, newspapers were dominated by events on the frontlines.
The woman is reading something.
A man is riding a train.
The dogs are eating.
There are eight people.
That's a sad thing.
The people are really aliens.