The 24-Hour Ascent

by Elvira Solen

On a routine Monday morning at Zenivex Tower, eight employees from different walks of life enter Elevator No. 3. But this is no ordinary commute. When the doors seal shut, and an automated voice announces the start of the "Ascension Project," their lives change forever.

Trapped in a vertical labyrinth, they are forced to navigate the Echo Library, the Dark Kitchen, and the Forgotten Archives. To reach the 40th floor and earn their freedom, they must solve cryptic puzzles and face impossible moral choices. As the clock ticks down, the real danger isn't the building - it's the secrets they are hiding from each other.

In a world that values efficiency over everything, can they choose humanity instead?

The 24-Hour Ascent is a high-stakes psychological thriller that explores the thin line between leadership and tyranny, and the power of teamwork in the face of absolute terror.

Why Read This Book?

Breathless Psychological Thriller: A fast-paced, upward journey filled with mind-bending puzzles, cryptic symbols, and high-stakes tension that keeps you guessing until the final floor.
Relatable & Raw Characters: Experience the visceral struggle of Peter as a devoted father, the commanding yet conflicted leadership of Marcus, and the haunting, profound silence of Emily. Each character reflects a different side of the human soul.
An Inspiring Message: Beyond the suspense, this is a deep exploration of true leadership and sacrifice. It’s a powerful testament to the strength of humanity over cold efficiency, proving that what we achieve together defines us more than what we achieve alone.

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 2, 2026

About the author

I’m Elvira Solen, a writer passionate about psychological thrillers that delve into how people think, react, and break down under pressure. I enjoy crafting intense, character-driven stories where every decision matters and nothing is as straightforward as it appears.

My debut novel, The 24-Hour Ascent, reflects my fascination with moral dilemmas and human behavior in extreme situations. I love placing characters in confined, high-stakes environments and watching how their decisions shape the outcome.

Reviews

[Caroline Dalrymple · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received an ARC of this book. A few times I very nearly DNF'd this book. The first few chapters are not written well in my opinion, this does continue throughout the book but not to the same extent. If you can get past this the story is okay. Perhaps I went into it expecting more suspense than I got, although I was left so confused sometimes as to who was speaking this may have contributed to it.

[Ilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited by the premise of this book. Eight strangers all working at the same company receive a work-related email which leads them to an elevator where they are faced with the message: you have 24 hours to each the 40th floor. Sounds great, right?

I was expecting a lot of tension, challenges, pressure, suspense, disagreements and secrets to be revealed. Unfortunately, despite the exciting premise, the book did not match my expectations. Beyond the frequent confusion around whose point of view we are reading from (there are 8 main characters!), the writing lacked a build up of tension and emotion required for this story to work, and it generally felt very flat to me. I kept reading hoping we would get something in terms of suspense or heightened emotion but it never happened; we were told what was happening or had character reactions but I personally did not feel any of it nor was I convinced of the seriousness of the situation and what they were experiencing based on the descriptions.
Another thing that really did not work for me was the dialogue: no one talks like that, especially under such stressful circumstances, and I caught my self laughing with certain lines because they felt so unnatural. There were several points where I wondered whether the story was written by AI or dictated instead of typed or written in a different language first and then translated to English, because the dialogue just did not flow.
Overall, a good idea with great potential for suspense, thrill and adventure but poor execution. Hope we can see an improved version of this story by the author.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC of this book via Booksprout.

[Kyran · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a strong DNF, and that's coming from someone that very, very rarely DNFs. I had to re-read the Prologue multiple times to understand certain sentences because the structure was so unnatural. The first chapter felt... difficult. Some sections read with the over-enthusiasm of a children's book trying to capture the mind of its readers while others (on the same page, mind you) went into such minute detail to the point of being forced, unnatural dialogue.

And that's when I realised it, not even to page 10, that this book was either written by ChatGPT or strongly influenced by its outputs. The characters are flat, names without consequence, floating in a sea of language that shifts from past tense to current tense and back again while the language choice shifts between calling the main plot device of Elevator Number 3 an elevator and a lift.

I forced myself to finish the first chapter and, while the premise of the novel is an interesting concept, there is too much awkward LLM-based robotic tonality to actually enjoy wherever it may go. It may get better in Chapter Two and on, but it lost my attention and betrayed my trust. If the novel was not worth the time to write (physically), then it is not worth my time to read.

Reviewer's Note: This review was provided without compensation, other than a free advance reader copy.

[LC · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this as a ARC. This book is truly a conundrum. The premise of the story is good, but the writing style is very challenging to read. Nuances of language are missing; for instance, stating that a meeting is in “half an hour, which is 20 minutes from now.” Perhaps this is a typo, but an experienced author would understand that you don’t need to clarify how many minutes are in half an hour (much less with the inaccurate amount). Additionally, the author switches from third to first person perspective without regard, often in the same paragraph. This muddles and confuses the reader, distracting from the storyline. Honestly, I was so distracted by the errors that I found it difficult to focus on the plot. I almost always finish a book if I start it and there was no way I could get past the first chapter.

[Jessica Totino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the advanced reader copy. I’m really glad I gave this psychological thriller a try!

It starts off like a normal day, but quickly pulls you in as things get more intense. I found myself really invested in the characters and trying to figure everything out along with them.

The puzzles and different settings made the story feel unique, and I loved how eight strangers came together and felt like a family while also facing their own struggles.

It’s not just suspenseful—it also has a deeper message about leadership, trust, and choosing humanity.

Overall, such a good read! I’ll definitely be recommending this one to friends.

[OinkyThePiggy (Vanessa) · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Free ARC Reader Review]
I was asked to give this psychological thriller a shot and boy am I glad I did! Starts off like any other day and then increasingly gets you more entranced in the character development and challenges the characters face.
A lot of thought and planning went into each feature and I found myself trying to figure things out alongside the characters. I will definitely be recommending to my friends.

[Marie Alker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great idea and story line, had me gripped from the beginning.
The amount of characters got me in a muddle at times but the further on I got the easier it was to understand each character.
I was trying to guess all the clues but didn’t get a single one right 🙈

[DISHA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a good read. with eight strangers becoming a family facing challenges together and fighting their own demons along with it. this book give me a good lesson.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply emotional book that will have you on the edge of your seat wondering if the group will make it to the next floor. Its a must read for those who love intense suspense.