Tom Bestwick Author | When Karma Comes Calling

Smiling Tom Bestwick Author behind 'JUDGE JAILER THIEF' book display table.

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When Karma Comes Calling, A Novel, colorful lotus flowers, Tom Bestwick Author.

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Book cover: Black and Blue, Tom Bestwick, Karma Comes Calling Story, blue flower.

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Two "When Karma Comes Calling" books by Tom Bestwick Author on bookshelf.

One novel...
Three novellas...
Explore the full When Karma Comes Calling collection now.

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What readers are saying

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A fantastic story, beautifully written

A real page turner that keeps you up past your bedtime.

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A story that is gripping and full
of twists

Characters that feel raw and real

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A chilling and unputdownable tale

Relatable and heartbreaking

Averaging over 4 stars across all Amazon reviews

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Stacks of "When Karma Comes Calling," "The Crash" by Tom Bestwick.

A deep literary thriller about forgiveness and the chains of guilt that bind us...

When tragedy strikes, the McIntyre family's idyllic staycation takes a devastating turn, leaving 11-year-old Rhys and his father Jonny drowning in guilt and remorse.

Amid their turmoil stands Elizabeth, a mother doing everything she can to hold the family together as they navigate their new reality — all while secretly searching for her long-lost sister, Elisa, who vanished nearly two decades ago. Little does Elizabeth know that Elisa is closer than she ever imagined. And she’s nursing a profound grudge and plotting revenge that will strike at the heart of the McIntyre family.

As the fates of these intertwined characters collide, Karma herself intervenes with a monumental task at hand… to navigate a web of destiny, guilt, and vengeance before it is too late.

For fans of Alex Michaelides' The Silent Patient, Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, and Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies, When Karma Comes Calling is a riveting story of redemption and resilience and pushes the boundaries of contemporary speculative fiction, delving into themes of guilt, forgiveness, and the enigmatic power of fate.

Prepare for a journey that challenges perceptions and leaves you pondering the intricate workings of karma itself.

Want to see if it is for you?

Read an extract now

More about When Karma Comes Calling

My story

Hey! 👋 I'm Tom, and I'm an East-Midlands-based Amazon best-selling writer who has spent his career up to now working in public relations. A father and husband with a mild coffee addiction, When Karma Comes Calling was my first novel and will be accompanied by three novellas: The Crash, Black And Blue, and Keep On Digging in 2025 and 2026.

I describe the When Karma Comes Calling collection as the greatest experiment of my career. When I started to write these books in 2020, I knew I wanted to explore a series of ideas that fascinated me. The first - surprise, surprise - was the idea of Karma. Not in the 'Karma is a b***h' sense, but, actually, what Karma is supposed to be, a balancing of our actions, both good and bad and a force for guidance.

These four books also delve into areas and questions I have considered a lot. Including:

Our relationship with self-guilt
How a simple mistake can alter your whole life
How we never truly know what is happening behind closed doors

They made for fascinating topics to explore with my cast of characters and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Wall of many colorful stacked books with various titles and spines.

Mark your calendars... I'm attending Birmingham Book Bonanza in August 2026

For those sat at the back... I’ll be following up my attendance at the Leeds Book Bonanza on Saturday 7 February 2026, I will be returning to the Book Bonanza circuit in August when the event comes to Birmingham on 15 August.

Again, I’ll be selling signed copies of When Karma Comes Calling, The Crash, and Black & Blue. Pre-order details ahead of the event will be published here closer to the day of the event, so stay tuned!

Secure your place at Birmingham Book Bonanza now

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My freshest writing resources

I'm here to share my writing journey and key learnings along the way, creating a hub of top tips and advice for any aspiring indie author

How to Make Your Amazon Listing Stand Out with A+ Content

4 min read

How to use Amazon Ads for authors: A beginner’s guide

4 min read

Pantser vs Plotter: Which is the right writing style for you

3 min read

Find more resources to support your writing here...

📷

Latest from the Gram

All aboard @willrdean’s next standalone thriller. Excited to dive straight into this a little earlier than expected.

Happy pre-pub day @willrdean… is that even a thing 😅

#bookstagram #bookrecommendations #thriller #thrillerrecommendations

The @bookbonanzauk tour continues later in the year.

In August, I will be heading to Birmingham for my second event, where I’ll be armed with more books, more merch, and a few new surprises.

Tickets for the event are available now. The link to the booking page can be found in my bio.

PS… I enjoyed Leeds so much that I’ve already booked my table to return in 2027 🫶

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #authorcommunity

@bookbonanzauk was a blast!

Yeah, I had more sales in one day than ever before.

Yeah, my website had more visits in one day than ever before.

But what made the event was the people.

It was great to chat to so many readers about all things books and writing and to share a space with so many other writers. Some of the table set-ups left me in awe.

Let’s do it all again soon, @bookbonanzauk!

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerslife #authorcommunity

The best boys night out.

Yes, the ice cream was as good as it looks 😮‍💨

The countdown is on until Leeds @bookbonanzauk… ⏰

This will be my first appearance as a vendor and I’ll be bringing plenty of goodies and freebies along with me… yes, there’ll be a few books on sale as well.

All the details about the event and how you can secure your ticket can be found in the link in my bio.

More book merch… this time in collaboration with the brilliant @elkincreates

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

Getting @bookbonanzauk ready - first book merch has landed

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter

2025 was an incredible year.

More to come…

My top reads of 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣

I didn’t quite hit my reading target for the year - I’ve got two particularly chunky books to blame for that - but I’ve read some bangers this year.

Compared to previous years, this list is made up largely of horror reads. The best book I’ve read this year will stay with me for some time.

@lucyrosecreates @thomasoldeheuvelt @joe_hill @abigailsdean 👏

#2025bookreleases #bookrecommendations #horrorbookstagram #bookstagrammer

A pre-Christmas present from me to, well, me! 😮‍💨

It’s publication day!

As of today, my third story, Black and Blue, is available in paperback and Kindle!

There’s no coincidence publication day has fallen today… because it’s also 12 months since I published my debut novel, When Karma Comes Calling.

Publishing three stories, including The Crash, which came out in June, in the space of a year still feels a little nuts to me. I’m so thankful and grateful to anyone who has picked up a copy and read one of my books in that time. Ultimately, that’s what I do it and it is all about.

Hopefully Black and Blue is for you as well… which, to me, is a two-sided story about how much we truly know someone, even those closest to you. It also comes with a whole heap of gangs, murder, smuggling, and people caught in impossible situations… if that’s your thing! 😅

More story details can be found over on my website.

In the meantime, I’d better get back to trying to finish the final story in this collection.

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#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

The best night celebrating the launch of Black & Blue.

T-minus one day to go until it releases in paperback and on Kindle. All the details are in the link in my bio.

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

A big box of books can only mean one thing 👀

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

Just one week to go until publication day for Black & Blue.

By no coincidence at all, it will also be a year - a bloody year - since When Karma Comes Calling was published.

I’ve loved writing these stories, these characters, and this world so much and can’t wait for this next one to fly out into the world.

All the details can be found in the link in my bio.

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

The best author event I have attended bar none.

I’ve done a few of these now but this event with @joe_hill and @thomasoldeheuvelt for the launches of King Sorrow and Darker Days tops the lot. Insightful, funny, jam-packed and full of all things horror.

By the way, does anyone sign books better than TOH? 👀

Is there a better horror writer than @thomasoldeheuvelt right now?

Not for me.

HEX, Echo, and Oracle all brilliant - next up, Darker Days 🫣😬😱😨

#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #bookgram #horror #horrorreads #bookcommunity #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #fiction #bookstagrammer #booknerd

A really nice photo before Freddo probably spat up on me 💙

UNBOX BLACK & BLUE WITH ME 👀

The first copies of my next story in the When Karma Comes Calling collection are here

📆 Out Wednesday 19 November. Pre-order details can be found in the link in my bio.

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

My most anticipated read of 2025 is here and she’s a real doorstopper! 😱

#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #bookgram #bookcommunity #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #fiction #bookstagrammer #booknerd

You never truly what’s going on behind closed doors…

A month today, my third book in a year will be published. Black & Blue is the second novella in the When Karma Comes Calling collection and I can’t wait for this one to be out in the world.

Pre-order details can be found in the link in my bio, but if you’re wanting to find a little more about what to expect, here’s your blurb 👇

Once he was in, there was no way out…

Five years on, a house fire in Yorkshire that left two men dead remains a mystery. Not because of those left behind, but because of those who vanished without a trace – their bodies never found. It’s a cold mystery. One that true crime fanatics debate in online forums, and conspiracy theories go wild for in search of answers.

Because nothing about that night adds up.

Now one of the most popular true crime podcasts is digging deep, just the latest to revisit the case and unearth the facts and attempt to set the record straight.

How did Lyle Wilkinson — an ordinary long-haul lorry driver — end up dead in his own home alongside a known member of Britain’s most notorious gang? And what really happened to the mother and son who walked away from the flames, never to be seen again?

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

Here it is then…

The final cover for Black & Blue - my second novella in the When Karma Comes Calling collection - coming 19 November 2025.

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

Coffee was needed 💙

An hour later, I was peed on.

Welcome to the world, Freddie Brian Bestwick 💙

The book that I’m going to need during this paternity leave 🧡

Great North Run… completed it, mate 🙌

My first half marathon is in the bag and it was the experience everyone said it would be. The atmosphere was unbelievable the whole way around and that last mile along the coast is the best experience I’ve had running. Better yet, it was great experience this with Chris!

While I’m sore, the biggest win is that I completed it the GNR in a quicker time than Joe Wicks!

The whole time leading up to this, I’ve been fundraising for Friends of the Baby Unit who looked after Lewie when he was born 6 weeks premature.

Thank you to everyone who has supported with a donation already ❤️ But… there’s still time to contribute - no matter how big or small - if you haven’t had a chance yet.

The link to my page can be found from the link in my bio.

Thank you in advance 🫶 I guess I should start thinking about what run I do next 👀

#greatnorthrun #gnr #greatnorthrun2025

As far as covers go… damn this is good.

Straight to the top of the TBR it goes. Not just because of the cover but because it’s the next book from @kuangrf

#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #bookgram #bookcommunity #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #fiction #bookstagrammer #booknerd

The start of something new 👀

Work on the final novella in the When Karma Comes Calling collection is underway!

Could. Not. Be. More. Excited 😁

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter

The last time I posted this photo, I said I was entering editing hell.

I’ve now escaped. The edits for Black & Blue are done and the completed manuscript is with my designer.

Another big milestone hit. Next up is to share cover designers. Soon. Real soon.

Oh and, yeah, Black and Blue will be releasing this November in paperback and on Kindle!

More details coming soon…

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter

I don’t know what I did but @bexgillygill was mad enough to invite me back to meet and speak with another one of her book groups 🫣😂

It was another fantastic evening with great people who asked some damn wonderful questions. To those who attended, I can’t thank you enough. 🥰

That leads me on to the second part of my post… I’ve launched an author event and speaking service on my website.

The When Karma Comes Calling collection is the greatest experiment of my life. From writing to publishing and building an author platform, I’ve needed to learn it all inside out. I love writing and publishing. And I love speaking about writing and publishing just as much.

I have needed to learn how to be an independent author from scratch. It’s not just the writing, it’s everything that comes with it. Independent authors manage the whole publishing journey from start to finish - from the first word being typed to that finished book getting into readers’ hands.

I’ve learned a lot over this past 4 years and think I have something to offer.

So, if you run or are part a book club, run writing groups, work in a community bookshop, or run book-related events and want to enquire about me attending and speaking, let’s chat! All the details are in the link in my bio.

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity

I’m running the Great North Run - @great_run - in just over a month’s time.

Ahead of it, I’m raising money for Derby NICU and the incredible people who supported us and Lewie when he was born over 6 weeks premature.

I’ll never be able to repay them fully. Never. But I want to use the Great North Run - my first half marathon - to raise £1,000 for them.

Training for GNR has been hard bloody work. I’ve never run that distance before. I’ve only ever really run to compensate for the fact that I like to eat a lot of rubbish 😅

But I’ve enjoyed it all the same and am looking forward to getting up to Newcastle and trying to do my first half marathon in sub 2 hours.

This was my most recent training session. Come with me through Belper into Denby, up through the streets where I grew up, and back again via Ripley (with a small stop in between).

Thank you for watching. And any and all donations will be gratefully received. You’ll be supporting an amazing unit and set of people!

#greatnorthrun #running #halfmarathontraining🏃🏻‍♀️ #halfmarathontraining #halfmarathoner #fundraising #prematurebaby

A look around the space where stuff happens 👀

Out here working and making stuff happen from the new office for the first time.

Mini tour incoming 👀

I was invited to my first author speaking and signing event 👀

And, genuinely, I would have been more than happy if only 5 people turned up.

To have a full room at @thelounges in Mansfield was a surreal experience - one that I will never forget.

Thank you to everyone who attended.

Thank you for the brilliant questions.

Thank you for wanting to read my books. Every copy I took to the event was taken away.

I’m beyond grateful.

Lastly, thank you to @bexgillygill for organising a brilliant event. Let’s do it again sometime.

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

The new home for where cool stuff happens is finally built 🫶

From start to finish it’s taken 10 months to get to this point - starting with the removal of a pain in the ass shrub!

When we moved into this house, it was always likely I’d have to give up my home office for a nursery. At the beginning of the year, plans needed to fast forward!

Monster shrub gone. Old shed pulled down. Path cleared. New building up. Electrics sorted. Network installation incoming.

With Baby B #2 just weeks away, I’m out in the garden and this will be will all the cool s**t will be done.

Today, I placed my biggest book order for copies of When Karma Comes Calling and The Crash.

I’m excited to share why next week 👀

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

Been a while since we’ve done book post.

Had these beauties arrive day one over the last few days - both on my most anticipated list for 2025.

@lisajewelluk and @alicemjslater are treating us good this July!

#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #bookgram #thriller #thrillerrecommendations #bookcommunity #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #fiction #bookstagrammer #booknerd

2/4

Love this latest piece - thank you @elkincreates

I don’t know how long this will last for.

I don’t care either.

Having been on the edges of the Amazon best sellers list for several categories over the weekend, The Crash is now OFFICIALLY an Amazon best seller for medical thrillers and women’s short stories 🤯

Thank you to everyone who has picked up a copy. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.

#authorsofig #writerlife #authorlife #writerscorner #writerslife #writerssociety #writersonig #writersfollowwriters #authorcommunity #fictionwriter #bookcoverdesign

I still find it mad that I have experienced one publication day.

But here we are celebrating a second.
Yep, today is publication day and The Crash – my first of three novellas in the When Karma Comes Calling collection – is out today, available on paperback and on Kindle. If you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, even better, it’s absolutely free to read!

I’m super proud of how this turned out. It’s quick and punchy and has been written to be a story you can read through in just one sitting.

A reminder of the one-line summary:

A devastating pile-up on the M25. A man wakes in hospital, paralysed and without memory. As the fragments return, so does a long-buried secret… and the truth threatens to destroy everything.

More than anything, The Crash is a psychological thriller that asks… would you be able to give up your life for someone else’s mistake? Even if that person is someone you love?

Sound your kinda thing?

🔗 https://amzn.eu/d/8euS3ji

It’s June… it’s officially publication month for The Crash - the first of three novellas in the When Karma Comes Calling collection.

18 days and counting 🗓️

The Kindle pre-order page is now live 👇

https://amzn.eu/d/11k2cF6

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Tom Bestwick

Author of the Amazon best-selling
When Karma Comes Calling collection.

The final piece of the puzzle is coming

Discover your next great thriller

One novel...
Three novellas...
Explore the full When Karma Comes Calling collection now.

What readers are saying

Averaging over 4 stars across all Amazon reviews

A deep literary thriller about forgiveness and the chains of guilt that bind us...

More about When Karma Comes Calling

Get the latest updates straight to your inbox

How else you can keep up to date

My story

Mark your calendars... I'm attending Birmingham Book Bonanza in August 2026

My freshest writing resources

How to Make Your Amazon Listing Stand Out with A+ Content

How to use Amazon Ads for authors: A beginner’s guide

Pantser vs Plotter: Which is the right writing style for you

Find more resources to support your writing here...

📷

Latest from the Gram

Follow me on Instagram

Get in touch: hello@tombestwickauthor.com

The final piece of the puzzle is coming

Discover your next great thriller

One novel... Three novellas... Explore the full When Karma Comes Calling collection now.

What readers are saying

Averaging over 4 stars across all Amazon reviews

​

A deep literary thriller about forgiveness and the chains of guilt that bind us...

​

More about When Karma Comes Calling

Get the latest updates straight to your inbox​​

How else you can keep up to date

My story

Mark your calendars... I'm attending Birmingham Book Bonanza in August 2026

My freshest writing resources

How to Make Your Amazon Listing Stand Out with A+ Content

How to use Amazon Ads for authors: A beginner’s guide

Pantser vs Plotter: Which is the right writing style for you

Find more resources to support your writing here...

📷

Latest from the Gram

​

Follow me on Instagram

Get in touch: hello@tombestwickauthor.com

One novel...
Three novellas...
Explore the full When Karma Comes Calling collection now.

Get the latest updates straight to your inbox