5 notable books by author Sophie Kinsella, who died at age 55

Sophie Kinsella, who has died at age 55, had a special talent for characters who persevered through the most embarrassing mishaps — often of their own making.

Here are five novels that helped keep readers laughing, and relating, over the past 30 years.

“The Tennis Party” (1995)

Fellow writers could only envy Kinsella's success, how early it came and how seemingly easy. As the author would remember, she was a 24-year-old financial journalist who, while commuting by train one day, thought to herself, “I want to have a go at this, I want to write a book.” Within two years, she was the bestselling author of “The Tennis Party,” under her real name, Madeleine Wickham.

Released in the U.S. as “40 Love,” her debut novel centered on the misadventures of a weekend tennis party and introduced r