A New Mystery Series Takes Shape in Spain

Wed--Kwei

The Ember Glows Again

Embers come to life (Photo by Xiangkun ZHU on Unsplash)

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 my Darko Dawson and Emma Djan series—felt like a creative dead end. But stories don’t go quietly. A new spark flared from the dying embers, and a new mystery series began to form.

At its center is a horse trainer with a painful past, a sharp mind, and an unflinching sense of truth. The tone? Think Dick Francis meets Tana French. And the aphorism that anchors it all: Horses never lie. People do.

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A Landscape Made for Mystery

Oviedo (Image: Nacho from Oviedo, Wikimedia)

The setting for this new story is northern Spain’s Asturias region—a land of misty peaks, old stone villages, and winding trails. Horses are not accessories here; they’re a way of life. Asturias has long maintained a strong rural equestrian culture, and that living bond between people and horses provides fertile ground—literally and literarily—for mystery and suspense.

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Spain’s Equestrian Legacy

Andalusian stallion in a grassy field in Spain

(Image: Missi Köpf, Pexels)

While Asturias offers a quiet, earthy charm, the broader history of Spain’s horses runs deep. The Andalusian—Spain’s most iconic horse—has roots going back millennia. Known for elegance, strength, and intelligence, it was favored by kings, warriors, and nobles. It’s no exaggeration to say that Spain helped shape global horsemanship through its cavalry and classical riding schools.

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Oviedo vs. Barcelona: Two Spains

My family once spent time in Barcelona and found it open, diverse, and welcoming. Oviedo, by contrast, is quieter, more traditional, and more homogeneous. In Barcelona, diversity is part of the fabric; in Oviedo, it stands out. As a Black American, I expect to be noticed. But I don’t expect hostility—just curiosity, perhaps some unconscious bias, and the usual dance of cultural adjustment.

Africans in Spain: A Forgotten History

       The Moorish Chief, by Edouart Charlemont

             Philadelphia Museum of Art

Spain is often portrayed as monolithically white and Catholic, but that ignores a rich, complicated history. During the centuries of Muslim rule, Black Moors—some of whom were kings and generals—held power in Al-Andalus. Black Africans weren’t always enslaved; many were scholars, architects, and advisors.

Yet, this history has been largely erased or whitewashed in mainstream Spanish narratives. Today’s Afro-Spaniards are still fighting for visibility, recognition, and a place in the national story.

The Racial Spectrum in Spain

Before committing to this move, I spent time on YouTube watching videos by Black expats, Afro-Spaniards, and travelers of color. What I found was mixed. Some speak of subtle racism: staring, stereotyping, or being assumed to be a street vendor or nanny. Others describe a social "hierarchy of Blackness"—a cringeworthy but real phenomenon—where African Americans are often romanticized while West Africans, particularly darker-skinned immigrants, face systemic marginalization.

This isn’t unique to Spain, but it’s worth noting. A Ghanaian immigrant may experience Spain very differently from a Black American tourist or writer. Class, skin tone, accent, and passport all matter. They shouldn’t—but they do.

Facing Forward—Aware, Not Afraid

Two Mexican Americans I spoke to recently told me bluntly, “The Spanish are racist.” I didn’t argue, but I took a beat. That statement says as much about the complicated relationship between Latin America and Spain as it does about Spain itself. Many Latin Americans feel looked down upon by Europeans from the peninsula. Colonial trauma lingers, even in casual remarks.

My response? I’m going to Spain aware, not naïve. I’m not going to seek approval. I’m going to live—and to write.

Stories are rising again, and this time, they're set in the green heart of Spain.