Today, we are rolling out the red carpet for our very own Heena Rathore-Pardeshi, the founder of The Reading Bud, to unveil the gorgeous cover of her new gothic-horror novella, The Manor.

Are you ready?

Presenting…

About the Book

Two siblings. One manor. One entity. Who will survive?

When Leela Jamwal returns to her ancestral home tucked along the monsoon-drenched Konkan coast, she believes she’s coming back to grieve, to regroup, and to protect her younger brother. But the Manor—sprawling, decaying, and watchful—has been waiting far longer than that.
Unspoken tragedies haunt every corridor. Mirrors move. Walls hum. And Leela begins to dream of a girl no one remembers—except the house.
What begins as mourning quickly becomes unravelling as Leela uncovers the dark legacy of her bloodline: a lineage bound to an ancient force known only as the Widow. A force that demands obedience, sacrifice, and silence. And Leela is the next in line.
As time fractures and the Manor tightens its grip, she must confront a choice older than herself: her brother, her unborn child, or herself.
Because in this house, you don’t inherit the curse. You are the curse.

Find out in this gripping new story by the award-winning author of Deceived.

You can find The Manor here:
Amazon | Publisher’s Shop | Goodreads

About The Author

Heena Rathore-Pardeshi

Heena Rathore-Pardeshi is an award-winning Indian author, literary editor, and writing mentor with over a decade of experience in the publishing industry. Known for her psychologically rich narratives and mastery of suspense, Heena’s work explores the intersections of trauma, womanhood, and the quietly monstrous.

Her debut novel, Deceived (2017), was lauded for its gripping plot and emotional depth, earning her a devoted readership. With The Manor, Heena returns to fiction with a haunting tale rooted in Indian folklore, generational silence, and cosmic horror—cementing her reputation as a rising voice in dark literary fiction.

As the founder of Verbatik Media, Heena has edited more than 50 books across genres, mentored hundreds of aspiring writers, and taught workshops on storytelling, developmental editing, and self-publishing. She has also studied World Literature at Harvard and Psychology at Yale, bringing academic depth to her craft.

When she’s not writing or editing, Heena creates content for her Instagram platform @ofwhiskersandwords, where she shares insights into writing, books, and the writer’s life.

She lives in Pune with her husband, an ever-growing collection of books, and her beloved feline editors. 

You can find author Pardeshi here:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Goodreads

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at  thereadingbud@gmail.com