In 2022, the author, known legally as Madeleine Sophie Wickham, was diagnosed with a serious form of brain cancer. Her family shared a statement on her social media accounts, saying: “We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy). She died peacefully, with her f inal days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.” In 2024, Kinsella revealed that she had f irst received a glioblastoma diagnosis back in 2022. The family went on to express: “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 a 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.” Kinsella’s books have sold over 50 million copies in more than 60 countries and have been translated into upwards of 40 languages. Novelist Jojo Moyes described Wickham as “the queen of romantic comedy.” She penned more than 30 novels for adults, children, and teens, with total sales surpassing 45 million copies. Her debut book, The Tennis Party, was written at the age of 24 while she worked as a financial journalist under her married name, Madeleine Wickham. The novel received critical praise and became a top 10 bestseller. She went on to publish six additional novels under the name Madeleine Wickham before releasing The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic, better known as Confessions of a Shopaholic, five years later, using the pen name Sophie Kinsella. Actress Isla Fisher, who starred in the 2009 movie adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic, expressed being “absolutely heartbroken” over Kinsella’s passing. In her Instagram tribute, she wrote, “You are still my hero, and I’m grateful for you.” She added, “Though we won’t meet again, your light and magic lives on in your incredible characters.” Kinsella’s latest novel, What Does It Feel Like?, released in October 2024, offered a semi-fictionalised perspective on her experience with cancer, written following her surgery. In the book’s introduction, Kinsella explained, “I have always processed my life through writing. Hiding behind my f ictional characters, I have always turned my own life into a narrative. It is my version of therapy, maybe.” She is survived by her husband, Henry, and their f ive children
