Sophie Kinsella, author of Shopaholic series, dies aged 55

Author Sophie Kinsella, known for her bestselling Shopaholic book series, has died at the age of 55, her family have said.

A statement posted to her Instagram account read: “We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy). She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.

“We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life.

“Despite her illness, which she bore with unimaginable courage, Sophie counted herself truly blessed – to have such wonderful family and friends, and to have had the extraordinary success of her writing career. She took nothing for granted and was forever grateful for the love she received.

“She will be missed so much our hearts are breaking.”

Madeleine Sophie Wickham, who wrote under the pen name Sophie Kinsella, announced in April 2024 she had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.

She wrote on Instagram at the time: “At the end of 2022 I was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of aggressive brain cancer.

“I did not share this before because I wanted to make sure that my children were able to hear and process the news in privacy and adapt to our ‘new normal.”

She said in the post that she had been receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Araminta Whitley and Marina de Pass, her agents at The Soho Agency, said she was “a once-in-a-lifetime author and friend” and described working with her as “the privilege of our working lives”.

Their statement said: “Maddy was an intelligent, imaginative, loving and irreverent woman who valued the deeply connective power of fiction.

“She had a rare gift for creating emotionally resonant protagonists and stories that spoke to, and entertained, readers wherever they were in the world and whatever challenges they faced.

“She also had an unmatched wit and ability to find the funny side. Comedy, for her, was both an art form and an intellectual pursuit and she instinctively understood that it is often a tightrope act of balancing light with dark.”

They added: “It is hard to contemplate life and work without Maddy. We will remember her for her warmth, insight and irrepressible sense of humour, for the magnificent, witty and resonant novels she leaves behind, and for making our days infinitely more meaningful and fun.

“We are completely heartbroken at her death. We loved her dearly and will miss her more than we can say.”

She released The Burnout in October 2023 and her other best-selling books include Can You Keep A Secret? and The Undomestic Goddess.

Her novels have sold more than 45 million copies in more than 60 countries, and have been translated into more than 40 languages.

Bill Scott-Kerr, her publisher at Transworld for the past 30 years, said: “I have had the true pleasure of knowing Maddy for the past three decades. Transworld have been lucky enough to publish every one of her adult novels.

“She was our author, our cheerleader, our fellow conspirator and our friend. From the outset it has been a genuine partnership based on commitment, trust and celebration that has gone from strength to strength over the years, right up to the heart-breaking brilliance of her last novella.

“She has been such an unshakeable pillar of our publishing at Transworld for so many years that the thought of a year without a Sophie Kinsella to publish is inconceivable.”

He described Kinsella as a “complete professional” who “consistently delivered above and beyond what she promised”, but said she was also “intensely, authentically herself, intelligent, creative, intuitively understanding and curious about the world, and the people who lived in it”.

He added: “Maddy leaves behind a glorious and indelible legacy, a unique voice, an unquenchable spirit, a goodness of intent and a body of work that will continue to inspire us to reach higher and be better, just like so many of her characters.

“On a personal level Maddy was the embodiment of joy, an extraordinarily clever, funny, sassy, impish, kind and generous collaborator who brought light into our lives. She was as part of this company as anyone, and we will all truly miss her.”

The first two works in her hit eight-book Shopaholic series, The Secret Dreamworld Of A Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad, were adapted into the 2009 film Confessions Of A Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher.

The 2003 novel Can You Keep A Secret? was also adapted for a film of the same name starring Alexandra Daddario and Tyler Hoechlin.

Kinsella described her last novel, What Does It Feel Like?, which was published in 2024, as her “most autobiographical to date” and said she “always processed my life through writing”.

Glioblastomas are the deadliest and most aggressive type of brain cancer.

Around 3,200 people are diagnosed with a glioblastoma every year in the UK. Of these, just 160 survive for five years or more.

Dr Michele Afif, chief executive of the Brain Tumour Charity where Kinsella was an ambassador, said: “Sophie was a courageous advocate and, with her family and friends, tireless supporter of our work.

“She did so much to raise vital awareness of brain tumours and the urgent need for more research to find better treatments. We are privileged to have known her and her wonderful family.

“She was adored by so many. Her books and her wonderful energy will remain an inspiration to us all. Our hearts go out to her family, friends and fans worldwide.”