Signs of the Imminent Apocalypse and Other Stories

by Heidi Bell

Winner, CWA 2025 Book of the Year, Traditional Fiction
2025 Great Groups Reads
Starred BOOKLIST Review
Finalist, Midwest Book Awards
Finalist, National Indie Excellence Awards
Finalist, Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award

Two sisters play an unsettling game; a child witnesses a casually violent neighborhood ritual; an up-and-coming young businessman is disturbed by the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings; a woman's ideal life unfolds in the pages of a mail-order catalog. The Midwestern women and men, girls and boys who populate SIGNS OF THE IMMINENT APOCALYPSE are united by a yearning—for answers or simply for relief—that is often twisted by their baser impulses. With lyricism, humor, and brutal clarity, Heidi Bell approaches reality sideways in her sensational debut collection.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

Unknown Binding

Reviews

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such unique and immersive stories. Heidi Bell draws you in within a short few paragraphs, creating authentic and fascinating characters inhabiting an almost folkloric world that still rings true to the human experience.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

From modern takes on classic fairy tales to stories told through catalog and encyclopedic entries to traditional short story form, this collection explores the human psyche in all its complexity. Bell’s stories display an emotional range and writing prowess other writers can only dream of. She makes the reader curious about—dare I say it: care about(?)—even the most seemingly unsympathetic of characters. Her language and imagery move seamlessly from lyrical to stark and back again, from funny to poignant to haunting. First time through, I gobbled up these stories. The second, I savored them course-by-course enjoying the subtlety of their flavors. I highly recommend the latter. Take your time with these. You’ll be glad you did!

[Andy Mozina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fierce and funny collection from a highly original and enchanting sensibility. Bell's stories X-ray our psyches in the way fairy tales do-revealing essential motivations while also shining a brilliant light on the marvelous, the disturbing, the uncanny. Her hardscrabble women and broken men fight on, often despite having one hand tied behind their backs by wrenching backstories. Beauty and yearning blend with terror and depravity in these artfully written pages.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! Of course, the stories don't have delightful topics or plots -- the title hints at that. While some of the stories are unsettling, they aren't all doom and gloom either. What they are is impactful! They'll stick with you for a while. It is such a delight to read stories that you just can't stop. Let that call go to voicemail; I'll deal with that after I finish this story. Recommended. Buy it. Read it.

[Ruth Garcia-Corrales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sounds of the Imminent Apocalypse by Heidi Bell is a striking collection of short stories that move between the surreal and the profound. From a cat's name tied to a woman’s death to a family fractured and partially restored by a mysterious spell, each piece carries emotional weight. Some stories are brief and punchy, reminiscent of social media posts—short, yet impactful. Bell writes with a powerful voice, and I hope she brings her creativity to a full-length novel soon.

[Lisa Heinsohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories is at times dark (I mean, the Apocalypse is in the title) but also interesting and compelling - a stark look at the base nature of humans. I could not stop reading and I highly recommend.

[Miz Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine collection of carefully crafted poetic stories, most with a dark or gritty edge but sometimes with a touch of wonder. I particularly enjoyed the original real-world revisioning of a few fairy tales, the Madison, WI call-outs, and the play with structure and lists.

[Gina Salamone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually a fan of short story compilations. But this book had a cohesive mood or vibe that was really compelling. A mix of longer short stories, and short scenes, it kept me reading.

[Colleen Alles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning and stellar. Favorites for me include “Peg’s Cat,” “A Scuba Lesson,” “Moths,” and “Close Calls.”