Author Dame Jilly Cooper has died, her publisher has said.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dame Jilly Cooper, DBE who died on Sunday morning, after a fall, at the age of 88,” a statement said.
She was renowned for her so-called “bonkbuster” style books, which portrayed the scandals and sex lives of wealthy country social circles, including Rivals, Riders and Polo.
Her children Felix and Emily said: “Mum was the shining light in all of our lives. Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds.
“Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock.
“We are so proud of everything she achieved in her life and can’t begin to imagine life without her infectious smile and laughter all around us.”
During her career, which spanned more than 50 years, she sold 11 million copies of her books. Last year Rivals was adapted into a successful TV series.
The author’s many fans included former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said the books offered “escapism”.
Her agent Felicity Blunt said: “The privilege of my career has been working with a woman who has defined culture, writing and conversation since she was first published over fifty years ago.”
She said Dame Jilly wrote with “acuity and insight about all things – class, sex, marriage, rivalry, grief and fertility”, which meant her books “so emphatically stood the test of time”.
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