British author Jilly Cooper, known for her many bestselling novels including“Rivals” and“Riders,” has died at age 88, her agent said on Monday.

A statement from her family said that the author's“unexpected death has come as a complete shock.”

“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,” her agent, Felicity Blunt, said in a statement.“Jilly will undoubtedly be best remembered for her chart-topping series The Rutshire Chronicles and its havoc-making and handsome show-jumping hero Rupert Campbell-Black.”

MENAFN06102025000215011059ID1110159101