"The Wreck of the Mary Deare" author Hammond ___ (5)
I believe the answer is:
innes
'the wreck of the mary deare author hammond' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for innes that I've seen before include "English thriller writer" , "British thriller writer, Hammond ___ , d. 1998" , "Hammond - - (author)" , "Action thriller writer, Hammond" .)