Escaping Denver by Teague Bohlen is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller based on the Escaping Denver podcast. While I haven’t listened to the podcast myself, I was curious about the book, especially as a Denver local eager to see how the story would explore the conspiracies tied to the area.

I enjoyed the beginning of the book, as a group of conspiracy theorists ventures to Colorado with plans to investigate a mysterious underground compound supposedly hidden beneath Denver International Airport, along with other conspiracy-laden sites. Once the team arrives, the story takes a shocking turn, and what they uncover below ground is far more intense than I expected. The book is packed with action, and I appreciated the unexpected twists toward the end.

I rated the book 3 stars. While the plot was engaging and moved quickly, I found myself wanting more background on the “why”- a deeper dive into the history and reasoning behind the events and the compound itself. Still, the non-stop discoveries and strange phenomena kept the momentum going.

I’d recommend Escaping Denver to fans of the podcast, as familiarity with it might enhance the reading experience. I’d also suggest it to readers who enjoy imaginative sci-fi/fantasy stories involving cryptids and hidden worlds.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing this advance reader copy.

This is the companion novel to the Escaping Denver audio drama podcast. I have to admit I was not a big fan of the podcast and I had several issues with it. This book does not have those same issues. It does a really good job of telling a unique story within the larger world of the podcast. It builds off of the world building in an interesting way but doesn’t feel like it’s just regurgitation. The characters are interesting, if a little flat. The pacing of this book is good and the ending feels satisfying. There are parts of this book that are unbearably cheesy, but those are mostly the parts that come from the podcast, so if you are already a fan then it shouldn’t bother you. All told, I thought this book was fine. It’s an enjoyable and engaging read and it’s good for when you want a light, entertaining book.

After hearing all the conspiracy theories about the Denver airport I thought this would be a super fun read and it was definitely packed with adventure and creativity. The writing style didn't really work for me, though, and some of the dialogue was a little cheesy. I expected to get more answers at the end but it seems to be setting up for a sequel, which I would probably check out just to get some of those mysteries resolved. Overall it is a fun and engaging read but was just a little unpolished.

This was so entertaining! I’ve been on an escape room story kick lately and this one definitely fit the bill! Picture your favorite creature-based conspiracy theories, add in a shadowy government entity, throw in an escape room setting, and you have Escaping Denver. I’ll be honest, I knew what who was involved in the conspiracy and why pretty early on, but man it was a fun ride watching it all play out! I really liked all the characters, even though a couple of them were absolute tools. Was there weirdness in this? 100%. The only thing I had a problem with was the… killer kangaroos. Don’t judge me. I have a major phobia of them. Have you ever seen the videos of kangaroos trying to break through a sliding glass door? Those things are terrifying! But there’s other equally cool critters that show up that had me jumping with glee, especially the herd of jackalopes. In any case, I can totally see this getting made into a movie. Would it be low budget? Probably. But I would love every second of it!

Huge thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for a review. As soon as I saw the name of this book, I knew it was referencing Denver International Airport. I used to live in Denver and the conspiracy theories about the airport were a favorite topic of discussion among residents. If you’re unaware, there are a lot of weird things about DIA. Firstly, there is a giant blue horse with red laser eyes greeting you along the highway on your drive in. Not only is this statue creepy as hell, it also killed it’s creator. There is weird art all over the airport, including a painting of a soldier brandishing a scimitar and a machine gun at a group of crying babies and women, all while wearing a gas mask. The airport even started embracing the conspiracy in their construction signs (pics in carousel). As you can imagine, I was very excited to read a fiction book about all this. Unfortunately, the book didn’t deliver on my expectations.

A group of online conspiracy theorists meet in Colorado to investigate strange reports about DIA. They cautiously make their way into the underground bunker far below the surface, and things start going wrong immediately. As they traverse the vast maze of tunnels and biodomes, the group is chased by monsters, plagued by traps, confused by terrain, and shot at by soldiers. As discombobulating as all of this is, things twist even further when the group finds out everyone in their party isn’t what they seem. Instead of receiving the answers they came for, new questions are unearthed at every turn.

I wanted to like this book so much, but it became tedious. I can only take so many pages of running and being confused. Something needs to happen to bring it all together and make it original—unfortunately, we never got there. I didn’t feel as if there was anything new happening in this book that hasn’t happened in other conspiracy novels. Nothing was surprising or original. It reminded me of Staircase in the Woods in that, we get it, they’re trapped in a scary situation. There needs to be more.

Having never heard of the podcast, I was in for a treat with this book! The story was so interesting I instantly started binging the podcast!

I absolutely loved this book. I live in Colorado so its always fun when a book has places in it that I know or have been to and it makes the book more interactive in a way for me. This was all around a fun time for me. It was fun from start to finish and I was never once bored or sluggish while reading it. Escaping Denver is fast paced and truly a great read.

Wow!!! ‘Escaping Denver’ had me on the edge of my seat.
I am familiar with the podcast that this novel is based on, and I was NOT disappointed. Action packed from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
Escaping Denver will be published on August 5, 2025