Beginning to read Henry McDonald, a seedy crime writer (7,8)

I believe the answer is:

raymond chandler

'crime writer' is the definition.
(I know that Raymond Chandler is a crime writer)

'beginning to read henry mcdonald a seedy' is the wordplay.
'beginning to' suggests taking the first letters.
'seedy' indicates anagramming the letters (I've seen this in other clues).
The first letter of 'read' is 'r'.
'henry'+'mcdonald'+'a'='henrymcdonalda'
'henrymcdonalda' with letters rearranged gives 'aymondchandler'.
'r'+'aymondchandler'='RAYMOND CHANDLER'

(Another definition for raymond chandler that I've seen is " writer".)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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