Strange secrets and eerie tales shadow the idyllic beauty of the Heritage Valley and the meandering Santa Clara River. The spirit of a playful little boy wanders the halls of the historic Glen Tavern Inn, and the ghostly phantom of the real Zorro, Joaquin Murrieta, guards his buried gold in the foothills of Piru. The chilling cries of La Llorona echo along Sespe Creek, and a beast is still reportedly seen loping upright across the countryside near Santa Paula. Outside Fillmore, the Lady in White lingers by the old sycamore tree, sometimes materializing in cars traveling down Highway 126. Author Evie Ybarra recounts spine-tingling tales and local lore from Valencia to Ventura.

Evie Ybarra is an author, educator and former radio show host with a passion for researching and sharing local stories. She published her first book, Legendary Locals of Fillmore, with Arcadia Publishing in 2015, and has returned to share the region's spooky tales and folklore in her second book, Ghosts of Ventura County's Heritage Valley.