American novelist caught in crime den (8)

I believe the answer is:

sinclair

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'american novelist' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.

'caught in crime den' is the wordplay.
'caught' becomes 'c' (cricket abbreviation).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'crime' becomes 'sin'.
'den' becomes 'lair' (synonyms).
'sin'+'lair'='sinlair'
'c' placed inside 'sinlair' is 'SINCLAIR'.

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(Other definitions for sinclair that I've seen before include "Novelist Upton or inventor Clive" , "Upton -; - Lewis, US novelists" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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