Peruse English novelist (5)

I believe the answer is:

reade

'novelist' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'peruse english' is the wordplay.
'peruse' becomes 'read' (I've seen this in another clue).
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation).
'read'+'e'='READE'

(Other definitions for reade that I've seen before include "Charles -, The Cloister and the Hearth author" , "Roman name for York" , "Victorian writer" , "Charles --, wrote The Cloister and the Hearth" , "Victorian author" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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