Crime Writing Secrets, a Pushkin Theme Park, Unlikeable Characters & More: Endnotes 17 January

Every Friday, we celebrate the weekend — and all the reading and relaxing and daydreaming time ahead — with Melissa's favorite book- and travel-related links of the week. Why work when you can read fun stuff?!

This post is part of our Endnotes series.

That charming building that looks like the set of a Wes Anderson film is the Hotel Belvedere on the Furka Pass (a.k.a., Furkastrasse) in Switzerland. The hotel was built in 1882 and became a popular tourist attraction because it was located right next to the Rhône glacier. Sean Connery was said to be a fan, and the movie Goldfinger features James Bond in a car chase on the winding mountain road. {more}

• Do you ever wonder: Are crime writers as twisted as the characters they create?

• These houses in Sibiu, Romania, have their eyes on you.

• Deanna Raybourn, author of the Veronica Speedwell mysteries, is going on a book tour to celebrate the new installment A Murderous Relation.

• St. Petersburg, Russia will soon have a Pushkin-themed amusement park called Lukomorye, named for the mythical Slavic land where Pushkin set his fairy tales.

• Perhaps it’s time for a new travel journal.

• It’s a special kind of magic when authors make us love unlikeable characters. (We’re looking at you, Thomas Cromwell.)

• Dream dinner: Six gourmet courses and cocktails in a decommissioned 1968 train car from the London Tube.

• Author Monica Rajesh on taking the Trans-Mongolian from Moscow to Beijing: ‘I was privileged to witness how deeply this train carved through the Earth, shining a light into its darkest corners.’

• Ghent, Belgium, got rid of cars and transformed the city in a decade.

• Dick Francis was not only the master of horse-racing crime novels, he also wrote great women.

• This is poignant news: A travel guide written by Anthony Bourdain will be published next October. It’s called World Travel: An Irreverent Guide, and it’s available for pre-order now. (We miss Anthony Bourdain a lot.)

• Coffee with eggnog and whipped cream? OK!

• The Week says that pre-ordering books is the best life hack. (Gifts for future-you are a nice idea, and pre-ordering helps authors.)

• Our podcast: I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t mention that Episode 0 of the Strong Sense of Place podcast is now ready for your ears. Listen here.

• Bookish podcast of the week: Shedunnit is a podcast that ‘unravels the mysteries behind classic detective stories.’ One chilly night in November 1912, a group of young women — including Dorothy L. Sayers — gathered together to share their writing. In this episode, host Caroline Crampton introduces us to the writing circle known as The Mutual Admiration Society.

• Travel podcast of the week: In addition to his radio show, TV program, and travel guides, Rick Steves also produces Rick Steves Travel Talks, in-person events packed with helpful info. This presentation is a mini-class on beginning French phrases for travelers.

Wishing you a fairy-tale weekend and something good to eat.

Top image courtesy of Mohamad Babayan.