Bestselling novelist Sophie Kinsella has passed away at the age of 55.

The author, best known for creating the hugely popular Shopaholic series, had been battling glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer she was diagnosed with in 2022.

Her family confirmed her death in a statement shared on Wednesday (December 10), saying she died “peacefully,” and that her final days were filled with “family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.”

Kinsella’s last published work came out in late 2024 and was inspired by her own illness. Titled What Does It Feel Like?, the story follows a successful author named Eve who is confronted with a devastating brain tumor diagnosis and has to navigate love, loss, and acceptance.

“I did not share this before because…”

Born Madeleine Wickham, Kinsella became a global name in the early 2000s thanks to the Shopaholic novels, which sold more than 45 million copies worldwide and were translated into dozens of languages. The first two books were adapted into the 2009 Isla Fisher–led romantic comedy Confessions of a Shopaholic.

She is survived by her husband of 34 years, Henry Wickham, and their five children. “We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life,” her family said. They added that “despite her illness, which she bore with unimaginable courage, Sophie counted herself truly blessed.”

Kinsella publicly revealed her diagnosis in April 2024, explaining that she had kept it private to give her children time to adjust.

“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 wrote at the time.

First symptoms

Kinsella explained that her health concerns began when several troubling symptoms appeared at once.

“The first symptoms that I had was, in fact, was my legs,” Kinsella told Roberts.

“I was stumbling. I was tripping. I started getting very severe headaches. I got very confused. But it was really when I started tipping over in my chair that we realized something really was wrong.”

Throughout her career, Kinsella created characters who resonated with millions, including Becky Bloomwood, the charming, chaotic heroine at the heart of Confessions of a Shopaholic. She once explained that the idea came from a simple moment while out shopping, when she wondered why no one had ever written about the shared experiences of overspending, regret, and the thrill of buying something new.

Kinsella also published numerous novels under her real name, beginning with The Tennis Party in 1995. After switching from music to PPE at Oxford, she worked briefly as a financial journalist before committing to writing full time.

Final wish

Her agents described her as a writer with “a rare gift for creating emotionally resonant protagonists,” while her publisher said she leaves behind “a unique voice, an unquenchable spirit” and a body of work that continues to inspire.

In her final year, Kinsella spoke openly about coping with her diagnosis, telling Robin Roberts that she was focused on the present: “I’ve already lasted more than the average. That’s how we get through. We hope.”

During her July 2024 interview, Kinsella was asked what she hoped her own version of a happy ending would look like.

“My happy ending is that whatever happens to me, my family is OK,” the author said at the time. “I think that’s my happy ending. Because that’s what I care about.”

What is glioblastoma?

Glioblastoma is a particularly aggressive and fast-spreading type of brain cancer that forms from abnormal cell growth in the brain or spinal cord. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can appear at any age, though it’s most often diagnosed in older adults.

In the United States, more than 12,000 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma each year, based on data from the American Brain Tumor Association.

The Mayo Clinic highlights a range of symptoms to be aware of. Many of them involve the head, but some can show up in other parts of the body as well. Common signs include:

• Persistent headaches, especially those that are worst in the morning
• Changes in vision, such as blurriness, double vision, or loss of peripheral sight
• Difficulty speaking
• Nausea and vomiting
• Problems with balance or coordination
• Muscle weakness in the face, arms, or legs
• Reduced sense of touch
• Shifts in personality, including irritability or confusion
• Memory issues
• Seizures, particularly in people who have never experienced them before

If you’re worried about any symptoms, the safest step is to reach out to a doctor.