Sophie Kinsella (whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham) died at the age of 55, per an Instagram post on her page. She was best known as the prolific writer of the Shopaholic series and many other novels.

"We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy)," read the post. "She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy."

"We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life," it continued. "Despite her illness, which she bore with unimaginable courage, Sophie counted herself truly blessed - to have such 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."

What was the cause of death? None was listed, but the "illness" referred to here may have been glioblastoma, the aggressive cancer that causes brain tumors. She was diagnosed with the disease in 2022.

Sending good thoughts to her family and loved ones.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Sophie Kinsella cause of death: What we know about legendary author

Reporting by Charles Curtis, For The Win / For The Win

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