Mystery Visitor

The extraordinarily prolific, London-born Anne Perry--who now resides in Scotland--is coming to Thousand Oaks and Santa Barbara to sign “Ashworth Hall,” her 24th Victorian mystery.

Since her first book, “The Cater Street Hangman,” was published in 1979, Perry has crafted novels around the social issues that plagued Victorian England, and which, unfortunately, continue to be relevant today.

She weaves murder and mayhem into this latest title about home rule for the Irish, and there are enough clues to confuse even Sherlock Holmes.

Perry will sign at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, and at 3 p.m. at Earthling Bookshop, 1137 State St., Santa Barbara.

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“You Can Be a Woman Engineer” by Judith Love Cohen, is one of a series of books that helps young girls become aware of career options in fields once exclusive to men. Cohen will sign at 2 p.m. Saturday at Borders Books, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

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Gerald Deskin and Greg Steckler will discuss “The Parent’s Answer Book” at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

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Oxnard born writer-performer Michele Serros, will read from her poetry and short story anthology, “Chicana Falsa,” and celebrate release of her debut CD, “Selected Stories from Chicana Falsa,” at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Ventura Bookstore, 522 E. Main St.

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Gail and Jack Teague will dispel the mysteries of using the “Personal Ancestral File” program for the Conejo Valley Genealogical Society’s Computer Interest Group at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Conejo Valley Adult Center, 1025 Old Farm Road, Thousand Oaks. Call 495-9659.

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In Santa Barbara

Tim Pompey of Oxnard will be the featured reader at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Earthling Bookshop, 1137 State St. The event is sponsored by Writers Unlimited.

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Himilce Novas, author of a dozen books including “Everything You Need to Know About Latino History,” “Remembering Selena” and the novel “Mangos, Bananas and Coconuts,” will teach “Latino Literature and the Great American Novel” starting Tuesday at UC Santa Barbara’s School of Creative Studies. Call Bill Ashby at 893-2364.

* Frances Halpern and Jon O’Brien co-host “Beyond Words” at 10 a.m. Sundays on KCLU-FM (88.3), Ventura County’s National Public Radio station.