Quickly read novel, one set in a state north of Maine (7)
I believe the answer is:
skimmed
'state north of maine' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'quickly read novel one set' is the wordplay.
'quickly read' becomes 'skim' (I've seen this in another clue).
'novel one set' becomes 'med' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'skim'+'med'='SKIMMED'
'in a' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for skimmed that I've seen before include "took top off" , "aquaplaned, perhaps" .)