Sophie Kinsella, the bestselling author whose “Confessions of a Shopaholic” sparked a Hollywood hit starring Isla Fisher, has died at 55 following a private battle with glioblastoma. Her family confirmed the news on December 10, remembering the beloved writer for her “radiance and love of life.”
British author Sophie Kinsella, known to millions for creating the iconic Becky Bloomwood, died peacefully at home after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2022, her family shared in an Instagram announcement.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy),” they wrote. “She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.”
They added, “We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life.”
Family Shares Emotional Tribute: ‘She Took Nothing for Granted’
GettyIn their statement, the family reflected on Kinsella’s courage amid a devastating diagnosis.
“Despite her illness, which she bore with unimaginable courage, Sophie counted herself truly blessed,” they wrote. “She took nothing for granted and was forever grateful for the love she received.”
The post ended with, “She will be missed so much our hearts are breaking💔💔💔.”
From Oxford Graduate to International Bestseller
Born Madeleine Sophie Wickham in London in 1969, Kinsella first studied music at Oxford before switching to politics, philosophy, and economics.
She later worked as a financial journalist — a job she accepted simply because, as she once joked, “it was the only job I could get.”
At 24, she wrote her first novel, “The Tennis Party,” under her real name. Several more books followed before she created a new voice for a new kind of story.
That story became “The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic,” also published as “Confessions of a Shopaholic.”
“I changed my name to Sophie Kinsella because the novels were so different,” she told Woman & Home in 2019. The book introduced Becky Bloomwood, the lovable financial journalist with a shopping problem who went on to headline nine more bestselling novels.
“When I meet readers, what’s so great is that it feels like we have a friend in common,” she told People in 2010. “We all know Becky.”
The first two books inspired the 2009 Disney film starring Fisher and Hugh Dancy, which brought Kinsella’s work to global Hollywood audiences.
