Their families paid the price. Not it's time someone paid attention. Ellington, 1937 A German father and son are brutally attacked, raising fears that the corruption and prejudice stoked during the Great War never truly died. Journalist Michael Schumann seizes the story, desperate to escape the fluff assignments holding back his career. But as he digs deeper, he finds himself entangled in a web of political secrets and buried injustices-some with dangerous ties to his own family. Across town, schoolteacher Olivia Kendall finds a letter suggesting her father's death wasn't an accident. Her quiet life unravels as her search for the truth collides with Michael's investigation. Together, they step into the roles of amateur sleuths, uncovering crimes once carried out under the cover of the law. In this Depression-era town, Michael and Olivia must decide how much of the past they're willing to expose-and what price they will pay to bring the past to light. The Dictograph Case is a historical investigative mystery blending buried history, small-town secrets, and the long shadow of wartime hysteria. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale and The Alice Network, it delivers slow-burning suspense, richly drawn characters, and the haunting question of what silence truly costs.