Jilly Cooper, author of the raunchy Rutshire Chronicles, dies aged 88

Jilly Cooper, who captured millions of readers with her raunchy tales set amid horse-loving high society, has died at the age of 88, her agent has confirmed.

- Ella Creamer

The author, whose 18 novels include Riders and Rivals, "defined culture, writing and conversation since she was first published over 50 years ago", said her agent Felicity Blunt. "You wouldn't expect books categorised as 'bonkbusters' to have so emphatically stood the test of time but Jilly wrote with acuity and insight about all things - class, sex, marriage, rivalry, grief and fertility."

Cooper died on Sunday morning after a fall. "Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock," said her children, Felix and Emily. "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."

In a statement, Cooper's friend Queen Camilla said: "Very few writers get to be a legend in their own lifetime but Jilly was one, creating a whole new genre of literature and making it her own through a career that spanned over five decades... May her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs."