4a.m. is the debut novel of Scottish author Nina de la Mer.[1] It was published on the 26th August, 2011 by Brighton-based publishing house Myriad Editions. The novel draws on the author's personal experiences, as well as extensive research, to form a realistic view of peacetime life in the British Army and the rave culture of the 90s. The book is written from the points of view of main characters Cal and Manny and is notable for its use of Scottish, and in particular Glaswegian, dialect forms.
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Set in the early 1990s on a British army base, 4a.m. tells the story of Cal and Manny, soldiers posted to Germany as army chefs. Bored and institutionalized, the pair soon succumb to the neon temptations of Hamburg’s red-light district, where they dive into a seedy world of recreational drugs and all-night raves. But it is only a matter of time before hedonism and military discipline clash head on, with comic and poignant consequences.
Life-affirming raving soon gives way to gloomy, drug-fuelled nights in fast-food restaurants, at sex shows, and in Turkish dive bars. As a succession of events ratchets up the pressure on Cal and Manny their friendship is tested, a secret is revealed, and a shocking betrayal changes one of their lives forever.
Novellist John Niven praised the book extensively, calling it, "Mesmerizing. And kind of frightening that a female writer can crawl so far into the male psyche."[2] Mike Cobley of The Brighton Magazine was also impressed, writing "It had me gripped from the off, and by its close I felt I'd actually been willingly dragged kicking and screaming though Nina's fictional world, and emerged a more rounded and less judgemental human being for my efforts," and adding, "Novel of the year? I've yet to read a better one.".[3] The novel also received attention in the national press, with the Glasgow Herald remarking "it's about time we had a female Irvine Welsh". The Guardian's Catherine Taylor took a more equivocal line, praising the novel's "electric" narrative, but disliking the pop-cultural references.
Bloggers have also praised the book, with pamreader calling it "an outstanding first novel" [4] and bookgroup.info finding it "a novel to make you reel".[5]