Going Out

Mystery signing: Cincinnati mystery writer Jeffrey Marks journeys to Kenwood to sign and discuss Atomic Renaissance: Women Mystery Writers of the 1940s and 1950s, a book profiling trailblazers who cracked into the all-male mystery field back in the days when it wasn't cool to be a woman writing about murders. 3 p.m. today, Barnes & Noble Kenwood, 7800 Montgomery Road. 794-9440.

New and newer: The Amernet String Quartet strums its way through the second of its new ConTempo series, a batch of concerts designed to give listeners a taste of music written by today's composers. Among the selections: "Inemiliz" by Emmanuel Arias y Luna, a Cincinnati premiere; "Quartet" by Terry Vosbein, a U.S. premiere; and "Chang Music IV" by Dimitri Yanov-Yanovsky, another Cincinnati premiere. 4 p.m. today, Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, 44 E. Sixth St., downtown. $20. 345-8400.

Troubled Dane: Hamlet, the wigged-out royal Dane, weighs his options and tries to take action one more time when Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival checks in with Hamlet. 2 p.m. today, 719 Race St., downtown. $16-$20. (513) 381-2288.

Last Call

Bunches of books: The 13th annual Mark L. Pastor Black Book Fair, designed to promote literacy through exposure to African-American authors, wraps up today, but there's plenty of time to get in there and shop at the "We Are What Legends are Made Of" themed event. Meet authors; attend workshops on business ventures, computer literacy and holistic health; browse new products. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. today, Harmony Community School, 1580 Summit Road, Roselawn, free. 272-2183.

Plenty of Mozart: The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music opera students - trust us, they sing more like pros - close out their modern interpretation of Mozart's comic opera Cosi fan tutte. 2:30 p.m. today, Patricia Corbett Theater, University of Cincinnati campus, University Heights, $10-$25. 556-4183 and be sure to call first. These things sell out quickly.

Hot Ticket

Opera Rap: Cincinnati Opera's Thursday presentation of "Music, Story and Significance of Margaret Garner," one of the company's popular Opera Raps, sold out so quickly it had to add a second time slot. It's also Thursday, at 9 p.m. The program is all about Margaret Garner, an opera the company commissioned to celebrate the opening of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Composer Richard Danielpour and Freedom Center senior adviser Carl Westmorland will do the honors. It's at Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free, but you need to call 241-2742 for a reservation.

Planning Ahead

24 hours out: Playhouse in the Park opens its popular alteractive series with <<wink>>, two tales of urban myth told with film and music by writer/director Donny Levit and company. It got a lot of positive press for its New York premiere. 7 p.m. Monday. Tickets $12, students $8. 421-3888.

48 hours out: Cincinnati author Jennifer Crusie signs and discusses her hysterically funny new Bet Me, a novel about looking for Mr. Right. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood. 396-8960.

Jim Knippenberg

E-mail: jknippenberg@enquirer.com; fax: 768-8330