Why a Booktrail?
1990s: On a British army base, Cal and Manny are soldiers, posted to Germany as army chefs.
4 am
What you need to know before your trail
Cal and Manny posted to Germany as army chefs soon find that life institutionalised might not be all that it’s cracked up to be. Bored, 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..
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.
Locations
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Army life in Germany
The author mentions in the author note that she wanted to get the facts straight and portray army life in the 1990s right so she did a lot of research such as interviewing soldiers who served at this time. There is also a social network site for the army with the amusing acronym – ARRSE.
Fallingbostel
The base at Fallingbostel is a real place although the one in the book is a creating based on research and the author’s experience of similar bases.
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information: 4am
Author/Guide Nina De La Mer Destination: Fallingbostel, Hamburg Departure Time: 1990s
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