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Sophie Kinsella in 2025: Shopaholic Audiobooks & Legacy

Lucas Walker Foster • 2026-07-24 • Reviewed by Daniel Mercer

2025 offers no new Shopaholic novel, but the first three audiobooks are re-released as the series says goodbye to its creator. Sophie Kinsella passed away in December 2025, leaving behind a legacy of nine core books and a final standalone.

Author passed away: December 10, 2025 ·
Latest novel: What Does It Feel Like? (2024) ·
Shopaholic core books: 9 ·
2025 audiobook re-releases: First 3 titles

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Sophie Kinsella (Madeleine Wickham) died aged 55 on 10 December 2025 after a battle with brain cancer (Official website)
  • First three Shopaholic audiobooks have been re-released, with more to come (Official website) (Official website)
  • Christmas Shopaholic (2019) is the most recent numbered entry in the core series (Penguin Random House)
  • Latest standalone novel: What Does It Feel Like? (2024) (People)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact total number of Shopaholic books varies by source (9 core vs 10 vs 13 total works) (Goodreads, Book Notification)
  • Whether a new Shopaholic novel will ever be released remains unknown (Official website mentions only audiobooks) (Goodreads)
3Timeline signal
  • 2019: Christmas Shopaholic published — last core series book (Bustle)
  • 2024: What Does It Feel Like? released — final standalone novel (Texas Talking Books)
  • 2025: First three Shopaholic audiobooks re-released; author dies December 10 (Official website) (Bustle)
4What’s next
  • More Shopaholic audiobook re-releases expected from the official site (Official website)
  • No new print novel announced for 2025 or beyond as of now (Penguin Random House)

Nine books, one core series — but the counting gets tricky. Different publishers and databases list the Shopaholic series in slightly different ways. Here’s a quick look at the varying counts across authoritative sources.

Source Core books listed Most recent numbered entry
Penguin Random House (publisher) 9 Christmas Shopaholic (2019) — Book 9
Goodreads (community database) 9 primary works, 13 total Christmas Shopaholic
Book Notification (aggregator) 10 Christmas Shopaholic — Book 10
Texas Talking Books (gov library) 9 Christmas Shopaholic
Bottom line: The implication: the discrepancy comes from whether you count novellas, short stories, and box sets. For readers, the core numbered series is widely accepted as nine books, ending with Christmas Shopaholic.

What Happened in 2025?

2025 brought two major news items for Sophie Kinsella fans. First, the author’s official website announced that the first three Shopaholic audiobooks have been re-released, with more titles promised. Then, on December 10, 2025, the site confirmed that Madeleine Wickham, known to readers as Sophie Kinsella, died aged 55 after a battle with brain cancer. The combination of a new audiobook initiative and the loss of the author creates a poignant moment for the series.

The trade-off

Fans gain a fresh audio experience of the early books, but lose the possibility of a new Shopaholic print novel. The author’s passing closes the chapter on new material, even as her existing work reaches new audiences through audio.

The pattern: the series’ future lies in audio, not print.

Sophie Kinsella’s Legacy: The Shopaholic Series

Twenty years after Becky Bloomwood first charmed readers, the Shopaholic series remains a cultural touchstone. Penguin Australia describes the series as an international hit, and it has sold millions of copies worldwide. The core nine books — from The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (2000) to Christmas Shopaholic (2019) — follow Becky’s adventures in shopping, finance, and family.

Not all sources agree on the exact count. Publishers Weekly (trade publication) notes that Becky Bloomwood Brandon returns for a seventh time in the series, while Book Notification lists 10 novels. The discrepancy often comes from including novellas like Shopaholic on Honeymoon or splitting the earlier omnibus editions.

Bottom line: The Shopaholic series has 9 core numbered books, confirmed by the publisher. Readers looking for a complete series should start with Confessions of a Shopaholic and end with Christmas Shopaholic. Audiobook fans now have the first three titles re-released, with more expected.

What this means: the series’ core remains nine books, with audiobooks extending its reach.

What Does It Feel Like? — Her Final Standalone

Released in 2024, What Does It Feel Like? was Sophie Kinsella’s last novel published during her lifetime. People (lifestyle magazine) identifies it as her latest standalone title, and Texas Talking Books (state library service) lists it as a 2024 standalone. The book, which deals with themes of love and loss, now carries an extra layer of poignancy given the author’s death shortly after its publication.

One pattern across all her work: Kinsella’s gift for blending humor with heart. From the Shopaholic series to standalones like The Burnout (2023) — also noted by People — she maintained a voice that felt both escapist and emotionally grounded.

Why this matters

What Does It Feel Like? is the final new story from Sophie Kinsella. For readers who want to experience her writing at its most mature, this is the one to pick up. The novel explores a woman confronting a life-changing diagnosis — a story that now resonates as deeply personal.

The catch: this novel gains extra weight as Kinsella’s final published work.

Timeline: Key Dates in Sophie Kinsella’s Career

Five milestones, one arc: from debut to farewell. Here’s how the timeline unfolds.

  • 2000 — First Shopaholic novel published: The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (later retitled Confessions of a Shopaholic).
  • 2019Christmas Shopaholic published, the ninth and final core series book (Bustle (digital magazine)).
  • 2023 — Standalone novel The Burnout released (People).
  • 2024What Does It Feel Like? published, her final standalone (Texas Talking Books).
  • 2025 — First three Shopaholic audiobooks re-released; author dies December 10 (Official website).

The pattern: a steady output of books for two decades, then a pause after 2019, with only standalones in 2023 and 2024. The 2025 audiobook re-release suggests a strategy to keep the series alive in new formats.

Confirmed Facts vs. What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Sophie Kinsella died on December 10, 2025, at age 55 (Official website)
  • First three Shopaholic audiobooks re-released in 2025 (Official website)
  • Christmas Shopaholic is the most recent numbered Shopaholic book (Penguin Random House)
  • What Does It Feel Like? is the latest standalone novel (People)
  • Madeleine Wickham is the real name behind Sophie Kinsella (Official website)

What’s unclear

  • Exact total number of Shopaholic books (9, 10, or 13) — varies by source (Goodreads, Book Notification)
  • Whether any unpublished manuscripts exist (Official website does not mention posthumous releases)
  • Future of the audiobook re-release schedule beyond the first three titles (Official website says “more to come” but no dates)

Quotes on Sophie Kinsella’s Work

“Christmas Shopaholic is a festive Shopaholic adventure.”

Penguin Random House (publisher description)

“Becky Bloomwood Brandon returns for a seventh time in the Shopaholic series.”

Publishers Weekly (trade review)

“The official site of bestselling author, Sophie Kinsella — Madeleine Wickham, best known to readers as Sophie Kinsella.”

— Sophie Kinsella Official Website

The implication: even official sources disagree on the exact count.

Related reading: Sophie Kinsella books in order · Sophie Kinsella official website

Frequently asked questions

Is there a new Shopaholic novel in 2025?

No. The most recent Shopaholic novel is Christmas Shopaholic (2019). No new print novel has been announced for 2025. The only 2025 release is the re-release of the first three audiobooks (Official website).

Did Sophie Kinsella die?

Yes. Sophie Kinsella (Madeleine Wickham) died on December 10, 2025, at age 55 after a battle with brain cancer, as confirmed by her official website (Official website).

How many Shopaholic books are there?

Most sources agree on 9 core numbered books in the Shopaholic series. Goodreads lists 9 primary works and 13 total works including novellas (Goodreads).

What was Sophie Kinsella’s last book?

Her last published novel is What Does It Feel Like? (2024), a standalone title (People).

Are the Shopaholic audiobooks being re-released?

Yes. The first three Shopaholic audiobooks have been re-released in 2025, with more titles expected (Official website).

What is Sophie Kinsella’s real name?

Her real name is Madeleine Wickham. She wrote under the pen name Sophie Kinsella (Official website).

Where can I find the complete list of Sophie Kinsella’s books in order?

People magazine has a comprehensive guide listing all her novels in order, including standalones and the Shopaholic series (People).

For readers who grew up with Becky Bloomwood or discovered Kinsella’s humor later, the situation is clear: the Shopaholic series will live on through audiobooks, but no new print stories are coming. For fans in the US and UK, the choice is to either revisit the early books in audio format or pick up What Does It Feel Like? as a final farewell to a beloved author.



Lucas Walker Foster

About the author

Lucas Walker Foster

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