Jilly Cooper, the British author of novels such as Rivals and Riders whose 1980s bestsellers were a blend of sex, satire and class-based snobbery, has died aged 88, her agent said in a statement on Monday.
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From the mid-1980s, her raunchy novels depicting the romantic adventures of an upper-class set of characters in the fictitious county of Rutshire, modelled on Gloucestershire where she and Camilla both lived, gained huge commercial success.
“Very few writers get to be a legend in their own lifetime but Jilly was one, creating a whole new genre of literature,” Camilla said. “May her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs.”
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Last year, Rivals found a new generation of fans when it was made into a series for Disney+. Sales of books published decades before shot up once again, as the themes of adultery and class rivalry thrilled younger audiences.