A residence owned by late novelist Jackie Collins has come up for sale. The bestselling writer had owned the Bel-Air house—one of several in her adopted home of Los Angeles—probably only as a going concern; it was last offered for rent just last year. It is now offered for sale with a listing price of $4.95 million.

A ranch-style dating to the early 1960’s, the house features a gated entrance with brick pilasters, motor court and brick-flanked double-door front entry, and a façade which dates the home pretty definitively.

The interior is classic ranch, with the rambling, open layout, and the easygoing flow. Skylights and recessed lighting add a little space and modernity, floors are marble or natural toned hardwood, and vaulted ceilings—some finished with pine planking—make the best of the limitations of the single story.

The house features a paneled library and study, or office, with built-in bookcases; as in the rest of the home, the wood has been finished lightly, sparing the room the darkening effect. The kitchen follows suit, and passes muster like the rest of the home, keeping to the safe, and offering innocuous cabinetry and countertops in a galley design. Off-white tile doesn’t surprise anyone, either, but the restaurant-quality stainless gives the room some practical cred. The master bedroom’s recessed, highlighted ceiling with ornamental pocket gives that room a nice expansive gesture.

The property exterior—the lot comes to about .9 acre—includes some nice landscaping, much brick, a grille and dining/lounging area, and a charming, smallish pool. The setting is private and sylvan.

Jackie Collins’ career began in British b-films, but the sister of Joan flourished as a novelist. Her thirty-odd romantic adventures have all been bestsellers, accumulating sales of around 500 million copies.