Our final chapter is always a private one

I AM a closet Jackie Collins fan. You’ll find her novels in my bookcase hidden behind weighty tomes by Proust and Dostoevsky, and if you ever uncover them, I shall protest that actually, she’s a great writer for women.

Whilst this is true, I really love her books for the ludicrously OTT one-liners (‘Men are cheaters, women are not to be trusted and most people are dumb’ springs inevitably to mind).

I was sorry to hear of Miss Collins’ death this week, and in particularr the criticism she has received for not telling anyone in her life, even her sister Joan, that she was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer six years ago. Serious illness is an intensely personal thing. Some people cope better when they share, others keep it private. When it comes to Miss Collins, none of us is in a position to judge.