Madeleine Sophie Wickham, better known to readers as Sophie Kinsella, has died at 55. She revealed last year that she had been diagnosed in late 2022 with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her family confirmed her passing on Instagram, saying she faced the illness with extraordinary courage, felt blessed by loving family and friends and by the success of her writing, and was deeply grateful for the affection shown to her over the years.
Kinsella became an international phenomenon with her Shopaholic series, which sold tens of millions of copies and was translated into dozens of languages. The first two novels in the series were turned into the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic, featuring Isla Fisher in the lead role.
In a 2019 interview with NPR, Kinsella explained that her books often followed young women negotiating careers, relationships and fresh opportunities — life stages she found full of energy and possibility, even as she was raising five children of her own. She said that chance meetings and a sense of open horizons were important sparks for her storytelling.
Kinsella’s blend of warmth, wit and compassion won a vast readership and leaves a lasting mark on contemporary romantic comedy fiction. She is survived by her family and the many readers who found joy in her characters and stories.