Spanning the four seasons of a year, "Necessary Secrets" tells the story of Dennis (Den) Sparks and his three adult children. Starting with Den contemplating his mortality on the day of his 70th birthday, the year ahead is told from four different points of view. A searing picture of NZ society today, the family deals with love, loss, financial struggles, drugs, domestic violence, and all the issues that Kiwis deal with daily. As he has done in his plays and his screen-writing, McGee turns a spotlight on the relationships and social issues of New Zealanders while making for an entertaining read.