Author in hospital after break down (4)
I believe the answer is:
roth
'author' is the definition.
(novelist Philip Roth)
'hospital after break down' is the wordplay.
'hospital' becomes 'h' (abbreviation for hospital on maps).
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'break down' becomes 'rot' (I've seen this in another clue).
'h' put after 'rot' is 'ROTH'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for roth that I've seen before include "Philip --, US author" , "Author of Portnoy's Complaint, b. 1933" , "American writer" , "Portnoy's Complaint author, d. 2018" , "American Jewish novelist, Philip, b. 1933" .)