Father quietly read novel (5)
I believe the answer is:
padre
'father' is the definition.
('Padre' can be a synonym of 'father')
'quietly read novel' is the wordplay.
'quietly' becomes 'p' (p for piano and quiet**).
'novel' indicates an anagram.
'read' is an anagram of 'adre'.
'p'+'adre'='PADRE'
(Other definitions for padre that I've seen before include "Father" , "Priest, chaplain" , "Army serviceman?" , "A military clergyman" , "Minister" .)