The novel 'The Age of Innocence' was written by Edith Wharton, a 5-letter answer to the crossword puzzle. Edith Wharton was an American novelist, short story writer, and designer. She wrote over 40 books, including novels, short stories, and poetry. She was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1921 for her novel 'The Age of Innocence'. The novel is set in New York City in the 1870s and tells the story of a man who must choose between his love for a married woman and his loyalty to his social circle.