India, Dec. 12 -- British author Madeleine Sophie Wickham, better known by her pen name Sophie Kinsella, has died at the age of 55 as confirmed by her family. The author of Confessions of a Shopaholic was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a severe type of brain cancer, in late 2022. In a social media statement posted to her accounts on Wednesday, the family wrote: "We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy). She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy." Kinsella's books have sold over 50 million copies in 60+ countries and have been translated into more than 40 languages. In 2024, she revealed she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma two years earlier. The family statement read: "We can't imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life." Born in London in 1969, Kinsella first studied music at New College, Oxford, before switching to PPE. At 24, she wrote her debut novel, The Tennis Party, as Madeleine Wickham while working as a financial journalist. The novel earned critical acclaim and reached the top-10 bestseller list. She went on to publish six novels as Madeleine Wickham. Five years later, under the name Sophie Kinsella, she released The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (also known as Confessions of a Shopaholic). She is survived by her husband, Henry, and their five children. Glioblastoma is one of the most lethal forms of brain cancer. In the UK, about 3,200 people are diagnosed yearly, but only around 160 survive five years or more. They grow rapidly, spread within the brain, and recur even after surgery. Symptoms include headaches, personality or memory changes, speech difficulties, severe fatigue, depression, seizures, and vision problems. Treatment involves chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and surgery. HTC...