An envelope in a letter box which reads 'to the curious mind of...' this is typical of what to expect when receiving a year of scaremail

Receiving A Year Of Scaremail

30th October 2025 - New Experience Number 19

Jump to 'Try it yourself'

Receiving a year of Scaremail was an unexpected experience—and it happily ticked off one of my ‘52 new things’ for the year.

If you like reading, this is reading with a twist. It’s an innovative concept that will keep you guessing as the story unfolds through the mail.  

Here’s more about the experience, and how you can try it too.

An Unexpected Letter 

An envelope arrived through the letterbox. I could tell it wasn’t a bill. It wasn’t a letter from a friend either. Nor was it junk mail. 

Addressed to ‘The curious mind of Sally…’ this was not my average correspondence, and I was eagerly intrigued.  

Inside were typed sheets labelled with which to read first. They were letters between two different characters, with enough information to introduce them to the reader. One character was concerned. Something wasn’t right and had deeply unsettled them. To try to make sense of it all, they had written to a horror writer to seek guidance.  

Challenge Fifty-Two, a white woman with dark hair collecting an envelope that has come through the letterbox. She is looking slightly apprehensively at the camera about what it might be.
An unexpected envelope arrived through the post

An Unexpected Gift - Receiving A Year Of Scaremail

My sister’s partner signed me up for this without telling me. It was only as the first letter arrived that he sent me a message to let me know there would be something coming through the post.  

I’d never heard of Scaremail before, and whilst I could have done a little digging to find out more about it, I decided not to. Instead, I let the letters arrive and the story unfold without any knowledge or expectations about it.  

Regular Correspondence 

Every two weeks for the next year, a new envelope arrived, delivering the next instalment of the story with more letters between the two characters.  

An example of what might come through the post when receiving a year of scaremail. There is a typed letter, a folded piece of paper which says 'read me last' on it, and a receipt.
Some envelopes contained additional 'clues' alongside the letters

Some weeks the envelope contained additional clues, or artefacts that were mentioned in the correspondence, such as receipts or headed paper. One letter included some photographs which were so well done and perfectly captured the eeriness described by one of the characters. 

With each delivery, more of the chilling story unfolded, with the doodles and drawings from one character becoming darker and more erratic.  

A Halloween Delivery - Receiving A Year Of Scaremail

It was perfect that the last letter of the horror story arrived in Halloween week!   

Wrapping up 12 months of receiving letters every two weeks, the story reached its dark conclusion.  

There had been twists, there had been turns, and there had been a lot of trying to guess what was going to happen next. I was going to miss the envelopes coming through the letterbox.  

What Is Scaremail In A Nutshell?

Scaremail is a subscription horror story experience. It’s like receiving a book in the post in instalments. 

The story is written by David Viergutz. He’s written many books, and he’s also created and written several different stories that are available through the post.

The one that I received was called scare.me, whilst the others are –

  • The Drift – a 24-part story for adults 
  • Shook – a six-letter story for ages 12+ 
  • Festive Frights – a seasonal short-run experience 
Two pieces of folded paper, one has text on which says 'read me first' the other says 'read me last' and there is also a photograph of a white man leaning against a wall. These are examples of what come in an envelope when receiving a year of scaremail
For twelve months your post will be a little more intriguing

Is Scaremail Scary? 

Whether you find Scaremail to be scary will depend on your imagination. I know that mine is quite overactive, and there were some weeks when the story took a sinister turn which genuinely left me feeling unnerved.  

You can’t binge-read and you can’t skip ahead. You have to wait for the next letter, which gives your mind plenty of time to invent possibilities. For me, that was half the fun.  

Why I Enjoyed Scaremail 

I loved this innovative way of telling a story. It’s not a book simply chopped into 24 different chapters. Using letters to move the narrative along helps to immerse the reader into the uncertain experience the characters are having.  

It could have been put together in a book, but the fact you must wait two weeks before you can find out what happens next adds to the suspense and intrigue.  

The enforced two-week wait heightens the suspense. In a world where everything is instant, there’s something refreshing about slowing down, anticipating the next envelope, and discovering the story in the old-fashioned way—through snail mail.  

A Horror Story Subscription Gift Idea 

A folded piece of paper with typed text which says 'read me first' another folded piece of paper with the typed text 'read me last' and a third piece of paper which reads 'scaremail'

Signing someone up to Scaremail is a brilliant and unusual gift idea.  

If you know someone who loves immersive stories, slow-burn suspense, or you simply want to bring a little mystery back to their letterbox, Scaremail is a brilliant and unique experience.  

It’s also the gift that keeps on giving. Every two weeks, as the next instalment arrives, they’ll think of you—and dive deeper into a story that unfolds one envelope at a time. 

Also, if you happen to be away and come home to find two envelopes waiting in the letterbox, they are handily numbered on the outside so you know which order to read them.

Happy Reading

Whether you sign yourself up for a year-long unfolding story or gift the subscription to someone else, Scaremail takes you on a journey as two characters unravel and descend deeper into the dark. 

It didn’t give me nightmares, but the creepy tale definitely gave my imagination plenty to chew on. 

Having never heard of Scaremail before, I’m really glad I got to experience such a novel way or reading a story. 

Want To Try It Yourself?

  • If you’re intrigued and want to have a unique reading experience, take a look at the Scaremail website where you can find out more and sign up for the subscription.

Cost Of Experience

  • I was lucky to receive Scaremail as a gift. 
  • Prices will vary depending on where you are in the world. as they are sent out from the US.
  • A year of Scaremail in the UK it costs £99.
  • Check the website as there are sometimes offers on the prices. 
  • Additional items can be bought such as the delux gift box, and a collectible box which is perfect for keeping all of the correspondence in.

Recommendations

  • Keep the letters. You might want to re-read a previous one or refer back to something from an earlier letter as the story progresses. 
  • Check the envelope. Each instalment is numbered. If you don’t read them as they arrive you’ll still be able to tell which order to read them in. 
  • Enjoy! Let me know what you think if you sign up and give it a go.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top