Thunder and Lightning is a cozy mystery. The main character, John Lynch, is very intelligent, and is thought to have a photographic mind. His father owns a large construction company where he and his friends have worked since their early teenage years. The story centers on John and his three best friends, identical twins Matthew and Mark, and their adopted brother Luke. The amateur sleuths try to solve a series of seemingly unrelated thefts of building materials. As they search for clues while trying to find the culprits, a simple request from an old friend leads them to discover that there is more to the thefts than they first thought. It only takes a short time for them to realize that they are in over their heads. While the four amateur sleuths are conducting the investigation, they also manage to start and build their own businesses, find love, and reflect back on their friendships.