Sophie Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic Author, Dead at 55

by

The literary world is saying goodbye to a beloved figure. 

Sophie Kinsella, the author of the popular Shopaholic series, has died at the age of 55 after fighting a fast-moving brain cancer. Her real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham, and her family announced the news on her social media.

According to a note dated December 10th, she passed away peacefully, surrounded by the things she loved most: her family, music, and the warmth and joy of Christmas.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m often reminded of what truly matters, and hearing from Sophie’s family really brought that home. They shared that her light and zest for life will be deeply missed, but even while facing illness, she felt incredibly grateful. She cherished her amazing family and friends, and was so proud of everything she accomplished as a writer. It’s a beautiful reminder to appreciate the good in our lives, no matter what challenges we face.

Honestly, Sophie just felt everything so deeply. It wasn’t just talent, you know? My family always said she never took a single thing for granted, and I totally get it. You could just feel how much she appreciated all the love and support she got while she was doing what she loved. It was like she carried that gratitude with her always, and it made everything she did even more special. It really did.

“She will be missed so much,” the message concluded. “Our hearts are breaking.”

Sophie died a little over a year and a half after publicly sharing her diagnosis of glioblastoma in April 2024. She had been diagnosed in late 2022 but waited until she felt strong enough to tell her fans.

Sophie explained that she wanted to give her and Henry Wickham’s five children time to privately come to terms with the news and adjust to their changed lives.

The author, whose second-to-last book, The Burnout, came out a few months before, also expressed gratitude to the people in her village.

She expressed deep gratitude to her family and friends for their unwavering support, as well as to the doctors and nurses who cared for her. She also thanked her readers, saying the positive reaction to her book, The Burnout, had been a great source of strength during a challenging period.

Sophie has written over 30 novels throughout her career. While most are published under the name Sophie Kinsella, she also uses her original name, Madeleine Wickham. Her books have been incredibly popular, reaching readers in 60 countries and translated into over 40 languages.

Her popular Shopaholic books were adapted into the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic, which starred Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.

As of last July, I was thrilled to announce my books had officially sold over 50 million copies! It was a huge milestone, and I celebrated with balloons, of course! More importantly, it was a moment to express my sincere gratitude to all my amazing readers and the incredible teams who helped bring my stories to life. It really made me pause and appreciate the journey.

In an Instagram post on July 24th, she described her career as a wild ride and expressed her gratitude for everyone who has supported her along the way.

She expressed her amazement, saying, “It’s amazing to learn that 50 million copies of my books are in circulation… Wow. Thank you. XX.”

Read More

2025-12-10 17:47