Elevator People: A Time Travel Novel

by Charlotte Laws

“Brilliantly written! Dystopian thriller packed with humor, heart, and horror. Eight charity volunteers go on a macabre journey and confront the most consequential moral message of our time. They must decide whether to embrace it or hide out at a mattress store in a Baltimore mini-mall.” – Bruce Goldberg, best-selling author

“Original! Funny! Surprising! A wake-up call for a world that has gone astray.” – Cynthia Shortreed, editor

“An imaginative sci-fi masterpiece with unexpected twists and turns. It forces you to rethink your values. You’ll never look at life, compassion, or the planet in the same way again.” – Sue Jones, Hollywood TV Report

“What do Charles Manson, the Killer Clown, and Hitler have in common? They all make an appearance in Elevator People. Have they come back to life? Or what? I’m not telling. You’ll have to read this well-crafted, edge-of-your-seat thriller to find out.” – Pamelyn Ferdin, actress

Eight people leave a charity gala in 2025. They step off a hotel elevator and find themselves in a different century. This is not an ordinary world. They see atrocities—hideous and hellish things found only in nightmares. The place is a horror show. Their values and beliefs are put to the test. Victims beg for help, and they become underground operatives. They are hunted by the authorities and the cultlike masses who call them terrorists. They are a threat to their customs, a risk to their bloodthirsty ways.

They eventually learn that thousands of elevator people around the world have time traveled as a part of the Earthling Extermination Project. Earth is causing catastrophic weather events for other planets, and elevator people are tasked with softening the blow before annihilation day—that is, if they agree to accept the mission. Will they save the planet? Will they ever get home? What will be their fate?

261 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2025

Reviews

[Mrs K Kanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book with a winding and interesting storyline. I guarantee you have never read a story like this before! I expected it to be completely different when I started and then bam.. so many surprises! Plus there is a deep and important theme about how to make the planet better. I was lucky to get an ARC copy a week before the release date. The book begins when eight people leave a fancy event, get into an elevator, go blind on the top floor, and fear they are going to die. Finally, their eyesight returns. They step off the elevator on the ground level and find themselves in a different century. They roam the streets confused. It is the middle of the night so they must find a place to sleep. They plan to go to the police station the next day. This idea is dropped when they see a news report and learn that the people who stepped off elevators (called "elevator people" or "vates" by the media) are being hunted and called "terrorists." There are atrocities everywhere in this freakish world. Trigger alert: there's a lot of death, gory detail. Also it is a plot and theme based book. Although I love some of the characters, this book focuses on an amazing plot and theme (less on the characters). The story is extremely well-written and very, very funny. The humor is artfully woven into the horror, thriller, and sci-fi vibe. Some of the scenes are black comedy, which I truly loved. You will not be disappointed. Truly a standout book!

[Eva Edge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elevator People by Charlotte Laws is a disturbing psychological time travel novel with profound meaning. Holy Cow! This was just something!
There were no trigger warnings listed, BUT be aware, this is not for weak stomachs.
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. It's original and forces you to rethink your values, making you look at certain situations from a completely different angle!
This story balances humour and horror to let you get through to the core message of this book: the central moral challenge of our era is understanding and responding to the far-reaching consequences of our actions.

In 2025, eight people stepped into a hotel elevator and found themself in the year 2125 - a future nightmare we are heading to. Now they must decide do they take action to change something or quietly hide and wait for the return day... Those who took some actions were not prepared for the horror they would face. Humans messed up dramatically in the past 100 years...

I must say a massive thank you to Charlotte Laws for this advance copy! I seriously enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading more from her :)

[Brandie Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent I enjoyed every word of it. It is original and kept my attention. The dialog and story were so much fun. Highly recommend this book.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

dark, twisted and… original

Elevator People is one of the most unusual and gripping books I’ve read in a long time. What starts as a simple elevator ride quickly turns into a nightmare of horror, satire, and moral dilemmas. The mix of suspense, shocking twists, and eccentric characters makes this story bold, disturbing, and impossible to forget. If you like dystopian sci-fi with brains and bite, this is a must-read.

[Becky Lyth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this was disappointing. It definitely needs a trigger warning about animal cruelty. It's something that everyone is aware of and many campaign against but to have it shoved down your throat in the guise of a novel is something else! I myself am a beagle owner, cruelty free product purchaser and I wish I hadn't had the misfortune to come across this book.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book. I love science fiction and could not put it down. The author gave a select number of us free advance copies via a social media website for "ARC readers." This is not a book you want to miss. A handful of charity volunteers leave a ritzy function, step on the elevator at a posh hotel and voila... they end up in another century. You won't know what century until the end of Chapter Two. I don't want to post any spoilers. There are a number of secrets kept from the reader that are revealed later. The most mind-boggling secret is revealed at the seventy percent mark of the novel. That is when you learn that this is not your ordinary novel. It amounts to a blueprint for how people can lead more compassionate lives and create a better world. It is sprinkled with humor and philosophy. She mentions Kant and Derrida, for example. So the reader is educated along the way. There are even appearances by Hitler, Charles Manson, Pol Pot and others - a clever way to draw the reader into the book even more. Compelling novel by a terrific writer. I look forward to her next book.

[Carly Simm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this book set in the future or the past? What do the words "CQ" (which hover in front of everyone in this "new world") mean? Who is the mysterious stranger who follows the elevator people? What are the atrocities in this "new world" and who are the victims of the abuse? Do the time travelers help victims or sit out the two weeks until their time to return to the elevator? Will they ever get home? These are some of the questions the reader faces in Elevator People. This masterful eco-thriller is packed with twists and turns. It delivers important themes, which I won't reveal so as not to spoil the story. There is humor, horror, and sci-fi. There will be some trigger scenes for some people involving the killing and torture of people, however (despite the false comment from another reviewer on this platform) no animals are depicted as harmed in this book. Let me revise: there is a scene in the first chapter in which chicken and steak are served at a function - perhaps this was a trigger for that reader. I loved this book. Brilliant writing, funny scenes, dark and dystopian and frankly a memorable story. It is unique. I can guarantee you have never read a book like this.

[Katie Junction · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly eye-opening book. Its starts out one way and then swerves into truths of the universe in a way that I did not expect. I wish more people would write like this author. Not only is her writing clear, funny, and even poetic at times, it follows a beat or pentameter of sorts. The story is amazing. It is a time-travel tale but is not like other time travel books. It is a million times better. It is unpredictable and makes the reader look at the world in a new way. It removes the blinders and presents a utopian vision for Earth, a vision for how people can be kinder and more compassionate. I must mention that people who are sensitive to the "killing of people" in novels should know that there is definitely some killing. But this is not wanton violence. It makes a very important point - something the reader realizes about two-thirds of the way through the book. I would advise you to get through the violence because the payoff is truly worth it!

[Terry Calloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an advance copy of this book and it was something! Kept me on the edge of my seat and frankly it's the best novel I've read in years. I am fairly new to Goodreads but felt like I should let you know. It keeps you guessing, on a roller coaster. It has great humor but also a lot of dead bodies. The dead bodies are necessary to the plot and end up conveying how people can move toward love and compassion... instead of the hatred and divisiveness and arrogance we see in society today. It is almost like a parable in that there is a heck of a lot of meaning. When you finish, you will notice all the clues sprinkled at the earlier parts of the book (that you breezed by) and say to yourself "Ah... That is really cool." Anyway, I cannot recommend this book enough. Nicely written and some interesting characters.

[Eleanors Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this eBook through Amazon last week when it came on the market. All I can say is Wow! Amazing Book! I felt every emotion possible while reading. I would like to mention that there's some tearing apart of bodies and killing - in case you get triggered by this sort of thing. But I would advise continuing with the story (even if triggered) because you will learn that things are not always the way they seem. There are so many turns and loops! Also the death and bloodshed leads to a higher purpose - a message that is probably the most important message of all time. I think everyone should read this book. If people all over the world absorbed this message and changed their behavior to fit, we would have a caring and less divisive planet.

[Sandy Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was wholly impressed with this novel because it is much more than your typical novel. It is unconventional and encourages looking outside of the box. The writing is masterful and the dialogue is impeccable. I was completely shocked when I got past the halfway mark because I realized the novel had purpose and was communicating an important message about the direction of the world. The reader learns a lesson while being entertained. Warning: there is a great deal of violence so if you can't handle that, then you may want to skip this book. But the violence is part of the message so it is not just thrown in for effect. There are also a lot of funny lines and a thriller vibe.

[Freddie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to get an advance copy of this book through an ARC reader website. Wow! That is all I can say. Wow! What a book! It keeps your heart pumping. It is funny, exciting, and as it turns out, has a penetrating message for the people of the world. This is not a book for the thin-skinned or superficial. The subject matter is important and there is a lot of killing in the story. I don't mind that sort of thing and realize the story could not have been told without some violence. The writing is clear and beautiful. Terrific job by this author.

[Mary Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow this author on social media and saw that she got a starred review from Kirkus for this book. Plus, I noticed that this book has an extremely positive review from Publisher's Weekly. Elevator People is filled with just about everything you can imagine: humor, heart, thrills, twists and turns, science fiction, horror, and well-developed characters. The thing I most liked is that this book is not a typical novel: it conveys a super important message. I won't give away any more because I don't want to spoil it for readers. But this book is a winner.

[Mario Mirabelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one wacky, gross, dark humored story but fun too. Set in present day Baltimore, the City's beautiful people are wrapping up another Gala event when eight strangers got on the elevator to head home. Maybe not. After a harrowing ride, the elevator leaves them in the future, and its very strange. Unbeknownst to the Elevator people, some intergalactic counsel is fed up (pun intended) with the people of Earth's behavior and is ready to kill them all. Oops. Hijinks ensue and not all is it appears to be. Well worth the elevator ride.

[Favour Creative · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elevator People is a gripping mix of time travel, suspense, and moral conflict. The premise pulled me in right away ordinary people stepping off an elevator into a nightmare world and the story never let go. Charlotte Laws balances high tension with deep questions about humanity, survival, and sacrifice. A chilling, thought-provoking page-turner that fans of sci-fi and dystopian fiction will absolutely devour!

[S.J. Ratcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique book that will keep you reading to the end.
My husband will enjoy it too.
SJ Ratcliffe

[Tobin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and fun read with as original a time-travel take a I've seen in a long time.