The Envelope

by John Durgin

Welcome to Pembroke—a quaint New Hampshire town where nothing ever changes, and no one questions anything...not even the annual tradition known as Mail Day.

Every year, a mysterious red envelope arrives.

Every year, someone dies.

It’s tradition. And In Pembroke, tradition doesn’t die… it kills.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Horror Thriller

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2025

About the author

John Durgin is a proud active HWA member and lifelong horror fan. Growing up in New Hampshire, he discovered Stephen King much younger than most probably should have, reading IT before he reached high school—and knew from that moment on he wanted to write horror. He had his first story accepted in the summer of 2021 in the Beach Bodies anthology through DarkLit Press. His debut novel, The Cursed Among Us was released June 3, 2022, and went on to become an Amazon bestseller. Next up, his sophomore novel titled Inside The Devil’s Nest, released in January of 2023, followed by his debut collection, Sleeping In The Fire in June of 2023. In 2024 he released two more novels, Kosa and Consumed by Evil through Crystal Lake Publishing.

Twitter- @jdurgin1084
Website- www.johndurginauthor.com
Instagram- @durginpencildrawings
TikTok- @johndurgin_author

Reviews

[Matty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never a dull moment in this one, highly recommend. Premise is similar to books like The Hunger Games, The Purge, or The Lottery but with a gnarly supernatural twist and gruesome parts.

This was my first book by Durgin and will be reading his previous novels for sure! I already started Kosa and it’s off to a great start.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Happens in Pembroke Stays in Pembroke!

Small backstory:

The town of Pembroke goes through stress and agony every year on Mail Day as every year someone from the town will receive a "red envelope" in their mailbox which signifies that someone has been chosen to be sacrificed for the good of the town. This year a young man, Jared has been chosen but Jared along with his best friend Shawn have other plans as they figure there has to be a loophole on how to beat Mail Day and they are going to do whatever is necessary to save the town!

That is about all I can hand out with a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!

Thoughts:

This story was one twisted wild ride into insanity as I just could not put this book down! I literally read this book in 24 hours as there was so much happening that I just could not break away from the story - not even to eat and sleep - I just wanted to keep reading it!

My insomnia was fueled throughout this book as there is tons of action, fear, emotional upheaval, psychological terror, twists and turns throughout the story that just kept me glued to my kindle!

Another great book by this author and looking forward to reading whatever else he has coming down the pike in the future! Giving this book five "Wild Twisted Terror" stars!

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a horror highlight. Jared, a youth, receives the red letter. It is this year's Mail Day in Pembroke, a small city anywhere USA. From then on he has 1 hour to prepare. Then the whole town will try to hunt him down. So do his parents. Why is this a tradition in this town for nearly a century? What force or evil entity is behind? Why does no one stand up against this inhuman hunt? The author comes up with a brilliant horror tale here. The twist at the end is as superb as the whole page turning story before. One of the rare novels you can't put down. You're on the run with Jared. You're by the side of the main character. Sinister elements, nail biting moments and an intriguing setting up to the last page. How does the story end? I won't tell you - find it out for yourself. Don't get stuck in the tunnels, try to reach the light and be aware of any bullets that might hit you. One of the best novels I read for quite a while. Absolutely outstanding. Highly recommended!

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, here's another book showing John Durgin can do no wrong! I went in this mostly blind, having only a vague impression the story would be similar to The Purge. Forget it! This is far better, the suspense sky-high, the banter and the overall dialogue terrific, the action scenes simply amazing, and the pacing - wow, so fast, never a moment of peace in this novel! From the shocking opening scene of a small town's entire population hunting a teenage girl (and its heart-breaking conclusion!) to the solid, invaluable friendship between the two boys who take it upon themselevs to rid their town from the cursed tradition, every little detail clicks perfectly, guaranteeing a special reading experience for anyone who enjoys dark, tension-high, bloody adventure!

The premise sounds quite straightfroward: once a year, the recipient of a red envelope has to fight for their life - that's it. Strong Hunger Games and "The Lottery" vibes, sure, but the twists are all Durgin (with a touch of Bentley Little's characteristic emphasis on how the ordinary can be turned into the bizarre and the extraordinary in the blink of an eye!). The book stands somewhere between dystopian teenage drama and supernatural cult thriller, with many tropes of survival horror appearing as well. It never loses sight of what's important: friendship, love, family. And that ending: finally you can draw breath!

I recommend "The Envelope" to all kinds of horror readers, even upper young adults. an adrenaline rush of the best kind!

[Keri Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read!
This is a chilling small town horror story but with a sci-fi twist!
A red envelope, a required hunt to the death, a yearly tradition in Pembroke…but why? Why does someone have to die every year for the town to prosper?
When Jared receives the dreaded red envelope on Mail Day he is determined to uncover the truth and put a stop to all the death in the town. What starts as a deadly tradition unravels into something far more sinister - and otherworldly….
If you love small town horror,sci-fi body horror or traditions with a side of murder then you must read this book!

I received an advanced reader copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mail Day in Pembroke is the one day each year that everyone dreads. The day when one unlucky person is chosen. The day when all the rules must be followed. Jared has been preparing for this day for years. He's going to do whatever it takes to survive and, if he's lucky, end Mail Day once and for all.

This was a great small-town, coming-of-age horror/mystery. From the first page to the last, it's full of nonstop action and terror. I loved the mystery behind Mail Day and learning more about it in real time with our main character. Things moved along at a great speed and ended up not being what I expected going into the book. Definitely check it out!

[Gatorman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty mid effort from Durgin about an annual hunt for the person in the town that gets a red envelope in the mailbox on "Mail Day". Kill the person, you get forever immunity and the town goes on. The story suffers from cliched writing and dialogue as well as an odd shift in focus from the actual hunt to a supernatural basis for the goings on that takes up most of the story. In the end, it's all rather silly stuff, despite moments here and there. At least it was short.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the purge with a twist! I was hooked by the end of the prologue. Hooked and shocked.
The small town of Pembroke is under a terrible curse that requires a sacrifice yearly. When two teenagers attempt what no one else has done yet, and end the curse, it’s not going to be easy. Will they survive the night and help the town they love? The envelope has just the right amount of suspense, gore, and a beautiful friendship that had me in tears by the end. Thank you John Durgin for always writing great novels! I couldn’t put it down!

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's 3.5 , I was entertained with this book, altough I would have loved some more solid answers to the ending.

[Alenna Burleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story we follow Jared, every single year someone get a letter in the mail, and that person who gets the red envelope gets hunted down and killed by the entire town. It’s Jared’s first year being able to participate in Mail day. With the whole town hunting him all he can count on is start things that were said to him by the oldest living survivor of mail day.

This was such a phenomenal read. The story telling was absolutely brilliant, There were certain scenes in this book that i was genuinely so scared. The characters were done beautifully. I absolutely loved this story and had the best time with it.

[Krystina Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐ rounded up. I'm very picky about my 5s but this wasn't a 4.

A small town horror with a little sci-fi sprinkled in. Pembroke, NH is a quaint little town with something big to hide. After being chosen for mail day, Jared needs to run for his life and in doing so unlocks a secret that should have stayed hidden.

I went in to this without knowing what to expect and it blew me away. The prologue comes in HOT which immediately drew me down the rabbit hole of madness.

John Durgin is a new to me author and is quickly a favorite. He painted a vivid picture of what was unfolding allowine to feel like I was in the story.

Thank you to John Durgin for an ARC! I can't wait to read more of your work!

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red

The small town of Pembroke has an event that occurs every year. The event has rules that must be followed. One resident receives a red envelope in the mail, and then everything changes. That resident must survive. What is the reason behind the envelope? What if the rules are broken? Full of lovable characters and despicable ones. Full of fear filled moments.

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC review*
Once a year, the people of Pembroke come together for Mail Day. On this day, one unlucky person aged 15 or above, will find a red envelope with their name in the mail. They are now the hunted. Their goal is to survive the entire day and night, until dawn. But it isn't easy when every single person in town is out to kill you. Only two people have ever survived. Will this year be any different?

I loved the premise of this one. It was like a cross between Hunger Games and The Purge. It was fast-paced, filled with tension and excellently written. Everything about it was amazing. However, what took this from a 5* to 4* was *Them*. The beings that step in if anyone doesn't follow the rules. The beings that are the reason Mail Day ever started. Don't get me wrong, they sounded creepy as hell. But it took the story from being kinda realistic, to completely absurd. Despite that though, I loved it. And this would make an excellent movie.

[Mike Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW—what a ride! I tore through this book in just two sittings. Another sci-fi/horror blend for me this year, and it absolutely delivered. It gave me Hunger Games vibes with its premise—someone chosen at random who must survive one horrific day to earn immunity. Durgin keeps the tension high from start to finish, with nonstop anticipation and angst. The whole thing reads like a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat movie, and I loved every minute of it.

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Envelope by John Durgin
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a fantastic and very entertaining horror story.
A small town in New Hampshire has an annual hunt that the town partakes in. The problem is that this is no ordinary animal hunt, but instead it’s hunting for a person. Whoever finds a mysterious envelope in their mailbox on “Mail Day” is basically sentenced to death. This has been a tradition for a very long time and no one wants to break this tradition as they fear what will happen to them.
Will anyone survive being picked on Mail Day? Will the mystery evil forces behind this ritual be discovered?

This story is very intense, suspenseful and it’s one I didn’t want to put down! There were also some big shockers and twists that I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to John Durgin for an arc of this amazing read!
This story comes out August 15th and is a must read!!
✉️📬🩸✉️📬🩸

[Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story telling..the shit hits the fan fast and doesn't stop. The 2 main characters are my absolute favorite, they're so well written!...I laughed, I cried, I got scared shitless...This isn't just a horror book, it's a beautiful story about 2 best friends...how far would you go to save the ones you love? How many rules would you break, how close are you willing to cozy up to death in the name of doing the right thing? Definitely recommend reading this book! 5 stars all the way. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Alison (theemptybookshelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg... I devoured this!

People who have loved the movie 'Ready or not' movie where A bride is being hunted because she picked the hide & seek card, should run and read this!!

Every year one person gets the red envelope, one hour to hide before being hunted down by the whole town. But this gets crazier ones you get to know what or who is behind this crazy tradition.

[Maggie Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Release date 8/15

Do you get excited when you get mail? Well, you wouldn't in this town! Each year, one resident receives a red envelope in their mailbox. The unlucky recipient is then hunted down by the entire town. Chaos ensues!

This book doesn't waste any time getting good. It takes off right away and never lets up. I was hooked from the first page. The chase scenes were great. The mystery was intriguing. The ending was a total surprise to me. I loved it. This is the type of book that you pick up and it makes you want to ignore life's responsibilities until you get to the end.

Recommended for fans of Dark Harvest and The Purge movies.

Get your pre-order in, mark your calendar, set a reminder... Do whatever you need to do to make sure that you don't miss this one!

[Cristy T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabs you from the very beginning! This small town evil book gives you the feel of The Hunger Games mixed with The Purge, but even better! The character development, the friendship, the suspense, the twists, the DETAILS....I didn't want to put it in and honestly didn't want it to end. Pretty sure this needs to be a movie!

[Christopher Dahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t really know how to give this book a review without spoiling too much. A familiar trope that I really enjoy turned into a crazy ride, and I never knew which way it was going to turn. This was fun! Small town, killing games, and creatures!

[Jessie Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jared and Shawn have been best friends for a while. For the first time both of them are eligible for selection of the red envelope. Whoever receives the red envelope on mail day is the rest of the towns target for the next 24 hours. Will one of the boys be chosen? Will their families turn their backs on them for a lifetime of immunity from the red envelope?

The beginning of this was intense and heartbreaking. Reading a female as the recipient of the envelope and what the family do was mind blowing. The whole community follow this yearly ritual without fail. Watching the current victims journey in survival and self preservation was extreme. His thought process to survival and what he should do was edge of the seat gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of this and felt I knew the characters well enough to sympathise with them. This story took me on a wild ride and I was here for it. This book I’ve been keen to read for a while! It did not disappoint one bit

[Kati Chastain · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Durgin’s The Envelope delivers a gripping original thriller that blends the tension of The Hunger Games with the lawless chaos of The Purge. Set in the small town of Pembroke, the story revolves around a chilling century-old tradition known as Mail Day. Each year, one unlucky resident receives a red envelope. Within the hour, that person becomes prey—hunted by their own neighbors until sunrise, with survival as the only goal. No rules, no mercy—just survival.

I loved the premise of this book. It’s like The Hunger Games meets The Purge, and it delivers non-stop action from start to finish. The pacing is fast, the tension is high, and the ending totally blew me away. If you're into dark, twisty thrillers with a killer concept, this one’s a must-read.

[Stefanie Silvestri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book by John Durgin. Every year in Pembroke a mysterious red envelope arrives and every year someone dies. If you get the red envelope, you must run, hide, and try to survive until morning while friends, family members and the rest of the town hunts you down to unalive you.
This book is similar to The Purge. It's an exciting and suspenseful story with lots of action and danger. The twists and turns are unexpected and keep you engaged. I couldn't stop reading because I was so caught up in the story. The ending was surprising, and I enjoyed the book very much.

[Kiirstyannee.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you John Durgin for this read! I just knew this book was right up my alley when finding out that receiving a red envelope meant all the bad things in this town! John delivered in this absolutely suspense filled hit! Our protagonists go through this emotional and heart pounding journey to try and stop the town curse once and for all.

I had no clue where this book was going, but in the best way. The ending was clever and the towns curse in more intricate than I imagined.

When reading this I thought to myself - what would my local town / friends / family do if it was either me or them?

Overall super thrilling and entertaining. I binged this in 2 sittings! Definitely one of the most memorable books of the year that I've read so far!

4.5/5

[Khaotic_Khaleesi · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review. Thanks, John for allowing me the opportunity to read The Envelope prior to release!

As a century old tradition “Mail Day” approaches in the small town of Pembroke, the locals are faced with uncertainty. Each year one unlucky resident of this close knit community will receive a red envelope with their name on it. An hour later, that person will be forced to fight for their life.

I throughly enjoyed this book. It started off with a bang and ended (for me at least) like 😳😳😲 I absolutely didn’t expect it. The relationship between the protagonist and his best friend was sweet (yes, I said sweet). The way The Envelope was written, very detailed and flowed, easy for my mind to imagine. Well done!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jessica Dotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a small, quiet town, there’s a deadly yearly tradition that no one seemingly blinks an eye at. Every year a red envelope appears in someone’s mailbox, and that envelope holds your fate. Never breaking tradition, the sleepy town of Pembroke will stop at nothing to ensure Mail Day goes off without a hitch.

Think The Lottery, meets The Purge, meets LOST, meets the brilliant mind of monsters only Durgin can conjure. This book seamlessly blends real life horrors with supernatural, making it impossible to decipher which could be worse. Exploring the depth and strength of friendship and familial bonds, we are plunged into a world where you don’t know who to trust, if anyone at all. Full of suspense, unexpected twists, horror, and vengeance, The Envelope is a whirlwind of terror and thrills from page one to finish. My new favorite of John Durgin’s books to date, this one hits every note. Dropping August 15th, I suggest you mark the date on your calendar.

[Kay Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent build up. Perfect atmospheric dread and suspense. I was captivated from start to finish. Don't read this if you aren't ready to be looking over your shoulder and around door frames.

[Jim Ody · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Durgin - The Envelope

The concept of this short novel is great, and it reaches out with sharpened vlaws and pulls you straight in.

A town with a really scary tradition of what happens when you receive a red envelope in the mailbox on a specificday of the year. Here, you can feel the impending doom, and anxiety of the locals who don't know whether or not, this year, it will be them. Their family. Their friends.

Durgin has unknowingly taken the formula I love from the likes of Bentley Little, and breathed some fresh air into it. It's a small town horror surrounding a community governed by irrational rules, and fuelled by the fear of what would happen if the townsfolk don't adhere to it. It's a subtle hint at fire and brimstone values twisted into pure evil.

The Envelope is like an even scarier, lonely and more personal version of The Purge. It's fast-paced and really well written. You feel the pressure of the protagonist and also the conflict of everyone around them.

The prologue is a fantastic jaw-dropping opener, and throughout the book yiu constantly ask yourself 'what would I do?'

I've read a few of John's books but this is my favourite so far. 5 stars all the way!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I was so excited to get this book and it did not fail!! I was not expecting it to go the way it did, but it pulled me right in and kept me turning the pages. I have all of this authors books, so on to the next!!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Fast paced and tons of action!