Unclued lights are three groups of three words of a kind, each group defined by the name of a different main character from a novel. The fourth main character of the novel (6, two words) must be highlighted in the completed grid.
Across
1 I hope gas travels in passages in US (8)
8 Firms making fruit-producing plant (4)
12 Old character about to drink fill when wine’s new (9, two words)
15 Prisoner welcomes month, one that’s boiling (7)
17 Growl resounded around (4)
18 Rope from cafeteria tables (5)
19 A journalist retains right transferred once (7)
23 Drop of port wine, red, in mixture (8)
24 I’m surprised about Italian city (7)
25 Insectivore’s wild canter (6)
26 Stands in line? Moves gently around it (6)
28 Like many language graduates? (7)
30 At home, in a country (8)
34 Notice sense absorbing new words (7)
35 Spike gets a skin disease (5)
36 Tailless big cat is an architectural feature (4)
38 Finished scrap of food, lying about it (7)
39 Old imperialistic kings, one suppressing laugh (5)
40 Patron saint covers earl with dry silk fabric (9)
42 Cape in one’s size (4)
43 Idiot casual about northern Iraqi once (8)
Down
1 Arches built in Slough (6)
2 Put paint on missing area quick (4)
4 Pride turned up in a god furthest from earth (7)
5 It’s played parading on manoeuvres (10, two words)
6 Greek’s tense embracing male lover (7)
8 Wound one’s skin (5)
10 Fancy some Quorn, a teriyaki? (6)
14 Poets entertaining hip worshippers (8)
20 Lad running among dogs and birds (10, two words)
21 King’s evil special councillor, a foul criminal (8)
27 Easy opportunities for models (7)
29 Apprentices during depressions (7)
30 Get a black mark, the last to rise (6)
32 Put forward a warning on the radio (6)
33 Son’s with pool clubs down under (5)
37 Bird divers...
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