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Sophie Kinsella, creator of Shopaholic series, dies at 55
The beloved British author, known for her witty novels including Confessions of a Shopaholic, has passed away following a three-year fight with glioblastoma, her family confirmed on Wednesday.
Final days filled with love and music
A statement shared on Kinsella's social media accounts described her death as peaceful, surrounded by family, music, and the warmth of the holiday season. "She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy," the statement read.
"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."
A literary career spanning decades
Born Madeleine Sophie Wickham in London in 1969, Kinsella studied music at New College, Oxford, before switching to philosophy, politics, and economics. She began her writing career at 24 under her married name, publishing her debut novel, The Tennis Party, while working as a financial journalist. The book became a top 10 bestseller and was praised by critics.
In 2000, she adopted the pen name Sophie Kinsella and released The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (also known as Confessions of a Shopaholic), introducing readers to Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist with a compulsive shopping habit. The series became a global phenomenon, selling over 50 million copies in more than 60 countries and translated into 40 languages.
The first two novels were adapted into the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher. Kinsella went on to write eight more Shopaholic novels, as well as 18 other books, including Can You Keep a Secret? and The Undomestic Goddess.
Defying labels and embracing storytelling
Kinsella's work was occasionally categorized as "chick lit," a term she viewed with mild frustration. "When I hear the term 'chick lit,' I feel a pinprick of, not annoyance but of slight resignation," she told the Daily Mail in 2018. "I've never had anyone say to my face, 'Your books are inferior,' but if people say, 'Your books are beach reads,' I say, 'Yep, that's fine by me. Read them on the beach!'"
Her publisher described her as an author who "defined and elevated romantic comedy by populating her stories with real-life issues that combined wit, emotional depth, and societal insight." Her agents, Araminta Whitley and Marina de Pass, called her "an intelligent, imaginative, loving, and irreverent woman who valued the deeply connective power of fiction."
A personal battle shared through writing
Kinsella announced in 2024 that she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2022. Her final novella, What Does It Feel Like?, published in October 2024, offered a semi-fictional account of her diagnosis and treatment. In the book's introduction, she wrote, "Hiding behind my fictional characters, I have always turned my own life into a narrative. It is my version of therapy, maybe."
Glioblastomas are among the most aggressive and deadly forms of brain cancer. In the UK, approximately 3,200 people are diagnosed with the disease annually, with only around 160 surviving five years or more. Symptoms can include headaches, personality changes, memory problems, seizures, and vision issues. Treatment typically involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, though the cancer often returns.
Legacy and survivors
Kinsella is survived by her husband, Henry, and their five children. Her family's statement reflected on her gratitude for life, love, and the success of her writing career, which brought joy to millions of readers worldwide.
