Wildfire snaps up medical historian Edge's book on 'world's most famous body parts'

Medical historian Dr Suzie Edge’s Vital Organs: A History of the World’s Most Famous Body Parts has been signed by Wildfire. 

Editorial director Philip Connor acquired world rights from Emily Glenister at DHH Literary Agency. Vital Organs will be published in hardback, e-book and audio in September 2023. 

The synopsis reads: “From Napoleon’s penis to van Gogh’s ear, and Marie Antoinette’s teeth to Marie Curie’s bone marrow, Vital Organs brings together the remarkable stories of body parts that have made history. This collection of the world’s most notable limbs, organs and appendages includes how Queen Victoria’s armpit led the development of antiseptics; why Percy Shelley’s heart refused to burn; and the strange case of Hitler’s right testicle.”

Wildfire published the author’s first book, Mortal Monarchs: 1,000 Years of Royal Deaths, in September 2022. 

Edge is a molecular cell biologist and medical historian whose TikTok channel (@suzieedge) has amassed more than 323,600 followers and 6.3 million "likes" since August 2020.

She said: “I am delighted to be working with Phil Connor and the Wildfire/Headline team again in a follow-up to my debut Mortal Monarchs. Vital Organs tells the fascinating and sometimes gory stories of famous body parts from history and from all around the world. We had such a wonderful response to the publication of Mortal Monarchs in 2022 and I’m very excited to bring another instalment in 2023.”

Connor commented: “The whole team at both Wildfire and Headline loved working with Suzie this year and are thrilled to welcome her back for another book. Suzie continues to go from strength to strength, not just making her writing debut but seeing her already impressive online audience almost double in 2022. Vital Organs is the perfect project to continue Suzie’s publishing career: her trademark mix of wicked humour and impressive research is sure to appeal to her existing fans and win her legions of new ones.”