Why We’re Craving Stories We Can Touch: Inside the World of Paper Trail
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Something interesting has been happening in the world of books.
In an age where nearly everything we consume is digital and fleeting, where books vanish with a swipe, and TikToks disappear in a scroll, people are craving something that feels real. Not just emotionally real. Physically real.
They want stories they can touch.
This is exactly what led me to create Paper Trail.
I’ve always loved stories that make you think twice. The ones that leave you turning the last page only to flip right back to the first. The ones that don’t just entertain, but unsettle you in a satisfying way. I’ve been writing thrillers like that for years under the name Kate Gable.
But after the past few years of being constantly online, I wanted to create something that felt different. Something you could open with your hands. Spread across the kitchen table. Investigate in your own time, the way a real detective would.
That’s where Paper Trail comes in.
At first glance, it’s a mystery box.
But what it really is… is an experience.
You receive a package in the mail. Inside, you’ll find documents, photos, clues, case files, handwriting, text messages, news clippings, and audio recordings. You’re not reading a story from the outside. You’re inside it.
You’re the one putting the pieces together.
What Makes Paper Trail Different?
There are a lot of games and boxes out there that call themselves “immersive,” but we wanted this one to feel truly handcrafted. Every box tells a complete story, and the details matter.
From the style of the handwriting on a sticky note
To the way a message was crossed out and rewritten
To a receipt folded the way someone might shove it in a pocket
We built it to feel like you were handed someone’s real secrets. Not because it’s flashy, but because that’s what makes you lean in closer.
This isn’t a “solve the crossword and unlock the padlock” type of puzzle box. It’s a psychological story. It's something that pulls you in and holds your attention, because the characters feel like someone you know.
Maybe even someone you’ve been.
Who Is This For?
You don’t have to be a “mystery person” to enjoy Paper Trail.
We’ve had readers tell us they hadn’t picked up a book in years, but they couldn’t stop turning through the files. We’ve had book club members solve the case together, and parents passing the box to their adult kids for a weekend challenge.
If you like true crime podcasts.
If you loved Gone Girl or Sharp Objects.
If you read The Push and immediately texted someone after chapter three…
You’ll love this.
Why Now?
I think part of why Paper Trail has resonated is because of the moment we’re in.
We’ve all had enough of passive entertainment.
We’re tired of feeling like content is thrown at us, not made for us.
This is a chance to slow down. To step inside a story and take your time. You don’t have to solve it in one sitting. You can read a few notes over coffee, then come back to it later. That’s part of the fun. No timers. No leaderboards. Just you, the clues, and the truth waiting to be found.
Want to Try It?
We’re offering Box One now, and it’s been so exciting to see the reactions as the first wave of packages have arrived. If you want to check it out—or send one to a friend who lives for twisty plots—you can order here:
And if you do dive in, I’d love to know what you think. Every time someone messages me with a theory or shows off their evidence board, it makes all the late-night writing and editing worth it.
Thanks for supporting something a little different,
Kate Gable