Stephen —, author of novels Takedown and Hot Blood (7)

I believe the answer is:

leather

(Other definitions for leather that I've seen before include "kid, perhaps" , "Processed animal skin" , "polish" , "Material made from animal skin" , "Animal skins" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.