British author Iain Banks, known for his novel "The Wasp Factory", who lost his battle with gall bladder cancer aged 59 in June last year, had left a fortune, which was worth $5.7 million at the time of his death.
It includes his Scottish home, royalties, cash and archive of manuscripts.
He left gifts to friends totalling $22,400 before instructing that his estate and future royalties from his novels should go to his wife, Adele Hartley, who he married three months before his death, reports contactmusic.com.
Banks' last novel, "The Quarry", was released two weeks after he died.