Lacking colour means more like (re)bran(d).

This is an anagram, and the novel is a thriller.

garden (p)rod(uce) = red dragon

puce
adjective
1. of a dark or brownish purple.

Thought puce was some sort of insect!

BUT is removing a word (using a synonym of that word)
from the anagram fodder legal on your side of the pond?

...I hear the wet noodle being taken off its hanging nail...

We Brits always like to push the envelope a bit, but I think this is a relatively ordinary device by our standards. I suppose purists might say it should have been "lacking a colour."

Herewith the Belt for you to drag around your mid section:
===[**WCF**]===

I guess I will add my two pedantic cents, because I enjoy these conversations :) Though American, I do the Times crossword every day. I think this one pushes the boundaries quite a bit, even for them. I would leave the noodle on the nail if the letters were consecutive and together, or if the color had been named... Otherwise it's like an indirect anagram... like this:

Blended colors and dried (8)

I think the clue is completely legal. All you have to do is provide the letters to be anagrammed, and removing some first from a given word seems fair enough.

Pedantic cents? The very best kind.

Well, over here anyway, pretty sure we'd need something like:
...lacking "puce"; anagram fodder is from actual letters, not synonyms.
Curious to see what Pandora thinks....

Anyhoo, the next one:

Spend nine bucks on old English novel! (9) 2 e's

Pendennis

Ya, that one surely needed to be made my ME! ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks CD

First off, many, many people outside America will see apparitions (9) no e's

...7.03...7.04...7.05 ... gimme back ma belt!!

(m)ill US ions

===[**WCF**]===

Merci bocups...

Slide, like in bed (5) absolute lack of e's !

CO(AS)T

Coast along Central Penn. esube, wearing this: ===[**WCF**]===

Respect to esube: polishing off the Times crossword every day is no mean feat (and not one i even attempt)! Probably pedantic bucks rather than cents...

I think that splitting the colour was possibly a step too far, and i did consider using "stripped of colour" as a way of curing that, but I was surprised that the clue foxed you.

Oh, I don't *finish* it every day. A rare event, actually.

I can stink horribly as holiday visitor (5,4)

Saint Nick

===[**WCF**]===

This may not fit around Kris, but on you it will look fine!

Thanks esube Sorry for the delay

Roughly treat married bum, without a hint of pity (9)

manhandle

roughly treat = direct
married = m
bum = panhandle
hint of pity = p
without = deletion

===[**WCF**]===

Thank you!

Eight twists to stocking, and so forth (5) 1 e

O cte T = eight !
OT = to, cte = etc (and so forth), both in reverse (twists)
"stocking" = container indicator

Thassa certainly one of your best, Sue!

Eight cheers for you, Denis! ===[**WCF**]===