Paepae Press author

Tobin Merritt

Tobin Merritt writes narrative nonfiction about the surprising human stories behind everyday objects and customs. With plain language and dry humor, Merritt explores the choices and practical problems that helped shape familiar things. The Backstory Is Weird brings that approach to short, self-contained stories for curious adults, with an emphasis on historical context and the difference between documented accounts and popular legends.

Books by Tobin Merritt

Short histories and fictional puzzle cases.

One book explores surprising stories behind familiar things; the other is an adult word-search mystery built around fictional cases.

The Backstory Is Weird book cover

Narrative nonfiction

The Backstory Is Weird

A Bathroom Reader of Surprising True Stories Behind Everyday Things

Short, self-contained stories explore the human background behind familiar things, with historical context and a distinction between documented accounts and popular legends.

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Murder Mystery Word Search for Adults book cover

Adult word-search mystery

Murder Mystery Word Search for Adults

100 Linked Puzzles to Uncover Evidence, Rule Out Suspects, and Solve 20 Cases

An adult word-search mystery using fictional cases and linked puzzles.

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Free Guides & Reads

Two separate free reads.

Each read has its own subject and destination; The Final Round is a standalone fictional case.

Your Morning Has a Backstory free short-history ebook cover

Short history ebook

Your Morning Has a Backstory

Discover five surprising short histories behind the everyday things in your morning.

Get the free short-history ebook
The Final Round fictional word-search case cover

Fictional word-search case

The Final Round

Solve five word searches and follow the clues through one fictional mystery case.

The Final Round is a separate standalone free case, not represented as a paid-book companion.

Get the free fictional case

Practical Notes

A short note about what one historical record can tell us.

Separate a dated record from the wider history around it.

Open all Tobin notes