Two inventive writers have recently authored an online mystery novel that introduces an innovative way of using email, and which could prove to be an effective tool for email marketers looking for new ways to communicate with customers.

The story itself - about a journalist investigating a cult in California - is told through emails written by the characters. But instead of reading the emails in a book, readers purchase the mystery online and then receive the emails as part of their regular email - 4-5 a day over the three weeks it takes for the mystery to unfold.

The key to using the mystery as a marketing tool is the unique email format. The 100+ emails that readers receive over the three week period provide companies with numerous opportunities to promote their products and attract people to their website, without hampering the reading experience. "Since readers have signed on for the mystery, it's very likely they're also going to open the emails," says Michael Betcherman, one of the authors, addressing one of the principal concerns of email marketers.

"Content providers and portals would be naturals for this approach, but we think it will also appeal to companies with a large online presence who are looking for innovative ways to engage and maintain contact with their customers," says Betcherman, who also suggests that companies could promote online discussions of the mystery as a way of increasing traffic to their website. Depending on the nature of their business, companies could either sell the mystery to customers on a royalty basis, or license it from emailmystery.com and offer it free as a value-added service.

In addition to the marketing opportunities presented by the email mystery, companies could also license the application itself, and deliver their own "stories" to customers on an individual basis, without making them wait for a newsletter to arrive. The "story" can be any message the company wants to deliver (information, promotion, entertainment etc.), and can be told in a single email sent on one occasion, or in multiple emails sent over several days. Companies can offer as many stories as they want, and they never have to be relegated to the archives - new customers can get any story with the click of a mouse.

This is all uncharted territory, and only time will tell if it will be an effective tool, but it's something creative minds looking for a lateral approach to email marketing might want to take a look at. The mystery costs $9.49. A free preview with the first three emails from the website is available at www.emailmystery.com, along with reviews and reader testimonials. Michael Betcherman can be reached at michael@emailmystery.com