The Ember Glows Again

A New Mystery Series Takes Shape in Spain

For a time, it felt like the fire had gone out. Leaving the U.S. under political pressure and realizing I could no longer safely return to Ghana—the setting of both my Darko Dawson and Emma Djan series—felt like a creative dead end. But stories don’t go quietly. A new spark flared, and with it, a new mystery series began to take form.

At its center is a horse trainer with a painful past, a sharp mind, and an unflinching sense of truth. Think Dick Francis meets Tana French, anchored by this truth: Horses never lie. People do.

A Landscape Made for Mystery

The Covadonga Lakes, Asturias (Image: Calimo Alonso)

The setting? Asturias, in northern Spain—a lush, green region of mountains, mist, and winding trails. Horses are more than scenery here; they’re culture. Asturias holds a quiet equestrian tradition that makes the bond between horses and humans fertile ground for suspense.

🐎 Spain’s Equestrian Legacy

While Asturias offers a rustic charm, Spain’s equestrian tradition runs deep. The Andalusian horse—Spain’s most iconic breed—was favored by kings, conquistadors, and classical riders alike. Known for strength, nobility, and elegance, the Andalusian has shaped riding styles across Europe and the Americas.

Andalusian Stallion (Image: Missi Köpf/Pexels)

🏙 Oviedo vs. Barcelona: Two Spains

My family found Barcelona diverse and welcoming. Oviedo is different—more reserved, more traditional, and less multicultural.

Modern Barcelona skyline with the Torre Glòries in background (Image:: Berk Ozdemir/Pexels)

Church of Santa Maria del Banco from the 9th century (Image: asturias.com)

As a Black American, I expect to stand out, but I don’t expect flat-out animosity—just curiosity, and perhaps some unconscious bias, which, like it or not, we all have to some degree. That’s familiar territory.

📚 Africans in Spain: A Forgotten History

Spain’s past isn’t just Catholic and Castilian. During Muslim rule, Africans—including Black Moors—held positions of power. Some were scholars. Others were generals, kings, and statesmen. Their contributions helped shape the cultural DNA of Al-Andalus.

The Moorish Chief, by Edouart Charlemont   Philadelphia Museum of Art

Yet today, Afro-Spaniards often go unseen. Blackness in Spain still occupies the margins.

🔍 The Racial Spectrum in Spain

On YouTube and elsewhere, Black expats share a mixed picture of race in Spain. Some describe microaggressions. Others speak of a social hierarchy of Blackness—where light-skinned African Americans are romanticized, while dark-skinned West Africans face prejudice. These dynamics echo colonial legacies. They’re uncomfortable, but they’re real—and they’ll likely find their way into my fiction.

🚶🏾‍♂️Facing Forward—Aware, Not Afraid

Two Mexican Americans recently told me, “The Spanish are racist.” That made me pause. It says as much about Latin America’s fraught relationship with its former colonizer as it does about Spain today.

I’m not going to Spain seeking approval. I’m going to live. And write. Stories are stirring again—and this time, they rise from the green heart of Spain.