Sophie Kinsella, beloved ‘Shopaholic’ author dies at 55 after brain cancer battle

London: Sophie Kinsella, the much-loved author of ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ and its many bestselling sequels, died on Monday at the age of 55, her family confirmed. She had been living with brain cancer.

In a statement shared on Kinsella’s official Instagram account, her family said, “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.”

The family added, “We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life.”

Kinsella, who also wrote under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, disclosed in April 2024 that she had been diagnosed in late 2022 with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

At the time she said, “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’.”

What was her impact as an author?

Beginning with her 2000 novel ‘The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic’ (released as ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ in the United States), Kinsella created the hugely popular character Rebecca Bloomwood, a financial journalist who advises others on money yet struggles comically with her own spending.

Kinsella went on to publish ten Shopaholic books, as well as numerous other novels. Her works have sold more than 45 million copies globally and have been translated into multiple languages.

The first two Shopaholic novels inspired the 2009 film ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’, starring Isla Fisher, bringing Kinsella’s beloved characters to a wider international audience.

Kinsella leaves behind a remarkable literary legacy, cherished by millions of readers around the world.

AP inputs