Couple who wrote American novels? (5)
I believe the answer is:
twain
I believe this is a double definition.
'couple' is the first definition.
(archaic term for 'two')
'who wrote american novels?' is the second definition.
(American novelist Mark Twain)
(Other definitions for twain that I've seen before include "Mark, say" , "Mark, US writer" , "American author - two" , "Pair (archaic) - US novelist, Mark" , "Archaic word for two" .)