The Irish author Maeve Binchy has died at 72 after a short illness, reports The Guardian. A former journalist for the Irish Times, her writing, which included short stories, often focused on life in Ireland. She wrote with humour and was drawn to family dynamics.

On her website she wrote recently: “My health isn’t so good these days and I can’t travel around to meet people the way I used to. But I’m always delighted to hear from readers, even if it takes me a while to reply.”

Her first novel, Light a Penny Candle, was published in 1982. It sold well and dived into the intricacies of small-town Irish life during and after World War II. Another novel, Circle of Friends, was adapted into a movie starring Chris O’Donnell and Minnie Driver.