| Sophie Kinsella | |
| Birth Name: | Madeleine Sophie Townley |
| Birth Date: | 12 December 1969 |
| Birth Place: | Wandsworth, England |
| Occupation: | Novelist |
| Period: | 1995–present |
| Genre: | Romantic comedy |
| Notableworks: | The Shopaholic series |
Madeleine Sophie Wickham, known by her pen name Sophie Kinsella, is an English author. The first two novels in her best-selling Shopaholic series, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad, were adapted into the film Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009). Her books have sold over 40 million copies in more than 60 countries and have been translated into over 40 languages.[1]
Madeleine Sophie Wickham is the eldest sister of fellow writers, Gemma and Abigail Townley. She was educated at Putney High School, St Mary's School, Shaftesbury and Sherborne School for Girls. She graduated from New College, Oxford, where she initially studied Music, but after a year switched to Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE).[2] She worked as a financial journalist (including for Pensions World) before turning to writing fiction.[3]
At the age of 24, Kinsella wrote her first novel, which was published when she was 26. The Tennis Party was immediately hailed as a success by critics and the public alike and became a top ten bestseller. She went on to publish six more novels as Madeleine Wickham: A Desirable Residence, Swimming Pool Sunday, The Gatecrasher, The Wedding Girl, Cocktails for Three, and Sleeping Arrangements.
Wickham's first novel under the pseudonym Sophie Kinsella (taken from her middle name and her mother's maiden name)[4] was submitted to her publishers anonymously and was enthusiastically received. She revealed her real identity for the first time when Can You Keep a Secret? was published in December 2003.[5]
Kinsella is best known for writing the Shopaholic novels series of chick lit novels, which focus on the misadventures of Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist who cannot manage her own finances. Becky is also known for her relationship with Luke. The series focuses on her obsession with shopping and its resulting complications for her life. The first two Shopaholic books were adapted into a film and released in February 2009.[6]
"Shopaholic to the Rescue" was released on 22 October 2015; "Christmas Shopaholic" was released in October 2019. Her most recent standalone novels are My Not So Perfect Life (2017), Surprise Me (2018), I Owe You One (Feb 2019), Love Your Life (2020), The Party Crasher (2021), The Burnout (2023), and What Does It Feel Like? (2024).[7] In 2015, she branched into Young Adult writing with her first YA book, Finding Audrey, published in June 2015.[8]
A musical adaptation of Kinsella's novel Sleeping Arrangements by Chris Burgess was premiered on 17 April 2013 in London at the Landor Theatre.
In 1991, Kinsella married Henry Wickham, whom she had met at Oxford. A schoolmaster, he became head of Lockers Park Preparatory School and now manages her business affairs. They live in Dorset and London and have five children.[9]
In 2024, Kinsella revealed she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.[10]
The Shopaholic series