Mafalda Moutinho

One of the most significant authors in recent Portuguese juvenile literature, Mafalda Moutinho has published 21 books in her Os Primos series. The series became part of the Portuguese National Reading Plan in 2004, having been recommended for education and adopted by schools. The series is the result of in-depth investigation and research, and the adventures of the three young explorers (The Cousins) uniquely combine fiction with historical, geographical and scientific facts in a variety of international settings (for more information in Portuguese please visit Os Primos site).

Born in Lisbon in 1973, Mafalda Moutinho graduates from the Technical University of Lisbon in Portugal with a degree in International Relations, faculty of Social and Political Sciences, completed at the University of Central Lancashire in England. With a scholarship awarded by the British Council, she then obtains an MA in International Relations and European Studies at the London Centre of International Relations from the University of Kent.

In 1997, whilst still in London, she begins her career as a management consultant in one of the largest multinational consulting firms, Accenture, managing projects in the areas of Finance and Controlling, traveling extensively and living in London, Paris, Milan, Cairo, The Hague, Stockholm, Madrid and Rome.

She publishes her first book in 2004 with Publicações Dom Quixote, launching the Os Primos series. She leaves consultancy to dedicate herself to writing, using her travel experiences in the adventures of her three main characters, Ana, Maria and André: Cairo serves as the backdrop to The Secret of the Egyptian Map; whilst in Rome, she gathers ideas for The Mystery of the Roman Catacombs and London becomes the setting for The Secret of Craven Street.

Moutinho establishes herself in Milan but continues to travel frequently, carrying out on-the-spot research for her books. In 2008, thanks to a scholarship from Fundação Oriente, she visits China where she conceives The Oracle of the Old Mandarin. In 2009, she explores Martinique, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for The Diamond of the Caribbean Island. In 2010, she visits Mexico, where she conducts research for The Symbol of the Mayan Prophecy. In 2013, in California, she gathers ideas for The Mystery of the Golden Nuggets and, in 2014, explores Australia and writes The Map of the Secret Island. New Zealand, The Land of the Long White Cloud, leads to the creation of The Secret of the Lost Tribe.

She moves to the Italian Riviera in 2017 and the proximity to Genoa, with its extravagant palaces and ancient mysteries, inspires her to write The Secret Letter of Columbus, a work focused on the lives of Christopher Columbus and Leonardo da Vinci. A trip to the United Arab Emirates inspires the creation of The Secret of the Arabian Pearls, in 2019, which addresses climate change, worldwide environmental issues and the role of the Sun in the future of the planet. Set in Morocco, The Legend of The Book of Secrets, published in 2020, focuses on the importance of reading, especially for the young, and once again addresses our role in climate change, showing how protecting nature is vital to avoid the risk of pandemics. In 2021, as a tribute to her experiences in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic and before leaving the country, Mafalda sets The Secret of the Old Palace close to home, in Portofino. The adventure is based on the famous composer Giacomo Puccini, who, about a hundred years earlier survived the 1918 flu, another terrible pandemic.

Returning to her home country after 26 years abroad, Moutinho moves to the Portuguese Riviera and writes The Case of The Big Lie, choosing the beautiful Madeira Island, the Convention on The Rights of the Child and the threats disinformation poses to children as the main driving points to create another thrilling adventure. In 2024, she writes The Island of a Thousand Riddles, set in Bali, the paradise island where everything seems perfect, and challenges readers to laud the wonders of AI, while questioning whether frightening secrets are not also lying behind the promises of a wonderful world. Written in 2025, Hidden Mysteries on the High Seas takes place on a luxurious cruise in the Mediterranean and, although full of mystery and suspenseful scenes—revealing many secrets of life aboard a ship—it also addresses aspects of international current affairs, such as illegal immigration and the terrible conflict in the Middle East.