Redefining “Deep State” with Mysteries

Hello, All Readers, especially Educators, Families, and Kids,

Feel like you’re getting hit over the head daily—maybe hourly—by social media noise, conflicting news about world events, and the rapid rise of AI?

Like me, you might find yourself wondering whether the truth is actually out there. What’s real, what’s false, and what sits somewhere in between? Are we absorbing information, misinformation, or outright disinformation? Learning to tell the difference is essential to our well‑being and our pursuit of happiness.

If you’re a critical thinker who questions what you see and hear, then hunts for reliable sources to separate wheat from chaff—bravo. I call this healthy skepticism, grounded in fact‑finding and evidence, deep‑state thinking: the practice of thinking deeply and critically. Adults, where did you learn these skills? Kids need them, too.

As a teacher, I taught my students how to question, analyze, and evaluate information so they could become lifelong deep‑state thinkers. We practiced looking beyond the small picture to consider long‑term consequences, asking “thick” questions that require more than a yes or no, and running information through a personal “sieve of truth”—prior knowledge, experience, and verified facts.

And I used one more tool: mysteries.

Why mysteries? Because they train readers—kids and adults alike—to think like detectives. Mysteries nudge us to slow down, notice what others miss, question every assumption, and follow clues instead of vibes. They make critical thinking feel like play, not homework.

In a mystery, every detail might matter… or be a clever distraction. Readers learn to:

• sift real clues (and suspects) from red herrings
• predict what’s next and give logical reasons
• think beyond the small picture to the big picture’s pros and cons
• ask pertinent questions, e.g., “Yes, but what about/if ___?”
• test theories instead of jumping to conclusions
• revise ideas when new objective evidence appears
• stay curious, even when the truth feels slippery

Sound familiar? It’s the same skill set we need to navigate today’s chaotic information landscape. When the world feels loud, fast, and a little unhinged, mystery reading becomes a surprisingly joyful way to practice deep‑state thinking—thinking that’s skeptical, evidence‑based, and resilient.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the daily barrage of “breaking news,” hot takes, and algorithmic noise, grab a mystery! Let your brain stretch, play, and sharpen itself. The truth may not always be obvious, but with the right tools—and a good puzzle—you’re far better equipped to find it.

To these ends, I decided to ramp up readers’ deep-state thinking in The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries, Book 8, Bougainvillea Street: Stolen Tiara, which will be released this September. I hope I have nudged you sufficiently to pick up your copy this fall.

So, get a clue, all readers. Prepare for a brain workout or rehab as you witness the value of critical thinking and questioning along with our four amazing detectives in their upcoming mystery. May reading mysteries and developing or honing deeper deep-state thinking be gifts for all of us.