UK author Jilly Cooper dies aged 88: agent

UK author Jilly Cooper has died, her agency, Curtis Brown, confirmed on Monday.

She was 88 years old.

“Mum was the shining light in all of our lives,” said her children Felix and Emily in a statement that was quoted by Variety magazine. “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.”

She has authored 18 novels including Riders and Rivals.

"I have lost a friend, an ally, a confidante and a mentor. But I know she will live forever in the words she put on the page and on the screen," Felicity Blunt said.