Levin's first novel, A Kiss Before Dying, was an instant success

The writer suffered a heart attack in his Manhattan apartment on Monday, his agent Phyllis Westberg confirmed.

Rosemary's Baby tells the story of a young bride involved with Satanists who mysteriously falls pregnant.

A film version was made in 1968 by director Roman Polanski and starred Mia Farrow.

Instant success

Several more books written by the author were adapted for the big screen. They included The Boys From Brazil, which starred Laurence Olivier, and The Stepford Wives, with Nicole Kidman.

His 1978 play Deathtrap was also made into a film, starring Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve.

Born in the Bronx, Levin always knew he wanted to be an author, so started work as a television writer.

Mia Farrow starred in the film version of Rosemary's Baby

His first novel, murder mystery A Kiss Before Dying, was an instant success. It won the Edgar Allan Poe Award as the best first novel of 1953.

It was then turned into a movie twice, first in 1956, and again in 1991.

Levin also wrote the thriller, Sliver, which became a movie starring Sharon Stone.