World famous author dies ‘suddenly’
Hilary Mantel, the Booker Prize-winning author of the acclaimed Wolf Hall saga, has died “suddenly and peacefully”, aged 70.
The acclaimed writer, who won the prestigious award for two of the books in her Wolf Hall trilogy, died peacefully on Thursday surrounded by close family and friends, according to her agent, Bill Heath.
“It is with great sadness that A.M. Heath and HarperCollins announce that best-selling author Dame Hilary Mantel DBE died suddenly yet peacefully yesterday, surrounded by close family and friends, aged 70,” Mr Heath wrote in a blog online.
“Hilary Mantel was one of the greatest English novelists of this century and her beloved works are considered modern classics. She will be greatly missed.”
In a statement, her publisher HarperCollins said: “We are heartbroken at the death of our beloved author, Dame Hilary Mantel.
“Our thoughts are with her friends and family, especially her husband, Gerald.
“This is a devastating loss and we can only be grateful she left us with such a magnificent body of work.”
The British author’s last novel, the conclusion to her trilogy about the tumultuous life of Thomas Cromwell, the scheming chief minister to King Henry VIII, attracted midnight queues outside bookshops.
"suddenly and peacefully", and surrounded by family? Is it a sudden death if there was time for family to be around?
Either way, RIP Ms. Mantel and prayers to her family. Her death is a big deal in the historical fiction circles.