Stories that appear to buy into hidden plots, from Franz Kafka to Thomas Pynchon, have an insistent appeal for readers looking to find out ‘what really happened’

The long, nuclear-armed standoff that followed the second world war was a terrifying parody of peace – which inspired some brilliant literature

From the glamour of 1950s Manhattan to the decadence of Wall Street today, New York is a literary capital. Last week we offered you a guide to books about New York – and you had a lot more to suggest. Here’s a selection of recommendations. Add your own below the line