Popular novelist continues to work in kitchen? (7)
I believe the answer is:
cookson
'popular novelist' is the definition.
(Catherine Cookson)
'continues to work in kitchen?' is the wordplay.
'continues' becomes 'son' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'to' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other) (I've seen this in other clues).
'work in kitchen?' becomes 'cook'.
'son' put after 'cook' is 'COOKSON'.
(Other definitions for cookson that I've seen before include "Catherine --, English writer" , "Catherine -. English romantic novelist" , "Catherine -, Eng. writer of popular romances" .)