Rachel Cooke

Rachel Emma Cooke (4 July 1969 – 14 November 2025) was a British journalist and writer. She primarily wrote for The Guardian and The Observer. In 2013, she released her first book, Her Brilliant Career: Ten Extraordinary Women of the Fifties.

Early life Rachel Emma Cooke was born on 4 July 1969 in Sheffield, England, and was the daughter of a Sheffield University lecturer in botany, Roderic Cooke, and a biology teacher, Elizabeth, née Goodson. where she edited Cherwell. Cooke was one of the three judges. From 2010 on, Cooke reviewed graphic novels for The Guardians "Graphic novel of the month".

Cooke's first book, Her Brilliant Career: Ten Extraordinary Women of the Fifties, was published in autumn 2013, Amanda Craig wrote in The Independent that Cooke's "writing does not delve deep but is eloquent, concise, fair-minded, witty and elegant."

Cooke's last book, The Virago Book of Friendship, was published in 2025, and is an anthology exploring the history of female friendships. The paperback release in 2026 was featured as The Observer 's paperback of the week and was reviewed by Chris Power.

Personal life and death Cooke was married to the film critic and novelist Anthony Quinn, and lived in Islington, London.

Cooke died from ovarian cancer on 14 November 2025, at the age of 56.

Awards In 2006, Cooke was named Interviewer of the Year at the British Press Awards and Feature Writer of the Year at the What the Papers Say Awards. In 2010, she was named Writer of the Year at the PPA Awards for her interviews in Esquire.