Death on the River: A Fiancee's Dark Secrets and a Kayak Trip Turned Deadly

by Diane Fanning

It seemed like the perfect romantic afternoon: a kayaking trip for two on the Hudson River. But it ended in tragedy when Angelika Graswald called 911 to report that her fiancé, Vincent Viafore, had fallen into the choppy frigid waters. Authorities assumed it was an accident, but when the bereft bride-to-be posted videos of herself doing cartwheels on social media shortly before Vincent’s body was found, suspicions of murder rose to the surface.

After hours of questioning, Graswald made several shocking admissions. She said she felt “trapped” and fed up with Viafore's “demanding” sexual lifestyle: the nightlife, the strip clubs, the three-ways. “I wanted him dead,” she had said, even though she insisted that she didn’t kill him. But as more lurid details emerged—including a $250,000 life insurance policy—a killer question remained: Did Graswald remove the plug of her fiancé’s boat and knock away his paddle as he sank?

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Biography

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 30, 2019

Reviews

[Koren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally I am a huge Diane Fanning fan, but I am not a fan of this book. I liked the first 75 or so pages but then the rest of the book was word for word interrogation and testimony mostly repeating what we have already been told. This is my least favorite way of writing a true crime book.

[Laura Wonderchick · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a bizarre story! One of those ones you have to keep reminding yourself that it isn’t fiction! Idk if you can make a cast of characters up as colorful as this tho. Unfortunately it was a true story and I felt so much for the victims family. If you get a chance after reading this, I recommend looking up this story online as it was shown on 20/20. It really adds to the story.
Thanks to the publisher for this copy for review:)

[Booksandchinooks (Laurie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you St Martins Press for a free copy of this book for review. This is an intriguing true crime story that was very well written. Vincent and Angelika head out on the Hudson River for an afternoon of kayaking. Unfortunately the weather becomes stormy as they head back to their car. Vincent's kayak tips over and he is left trying to survive in the icy water. Angelika apparently doesn’t try to save him and phones 911 twenty minutes after the event occurs. Once help arrives there is no sign of Vincent or his kayak. As Angelika describes the events she is not all that upset about Vincent’s apparent death. Over the next few days and weeks Angelika’s behaviour, lack of grief, and actual happiness that Vincent has died cause the police to question her more. Eventually Angelika is arrested. It is heartbreaking to know this a true crime and not fiction. If you are unaware of this case I’ll leave the rest of the book a mystery. I hadn’t heard of this case before so I’m going to check Google and apparently there are some tv programs such as 20/20 that have profiled this story.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah, two stars, "It was ok." Nothing great. Way too much detailed courtroom activity. Pages upon pages of boring text, and it wasn't even the trial, but a hearing to determine admissibility of her confession.

It was just ok.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love a lot of Dianes books but this one was not a great read. I think perhaps this would have been better as a kindle short story. It as a very weird story but hardly any proof really.
Just okay.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane Fanning is one of the more prolific writers in the true crime genre, and I have read several of her titles, being appropriately creeped out and generally entertained by them all. Usually, I am not familiar with the topics, but I either had read something about this one, or possible listened to a podcast about it. In any case, Death on The River, set on New York’s Hudson River, is the setting for her latest and it was a story that creeped me out somewhat the first time I heard about it and COMPLETELY creeped me out when I read Ms. Fanning’s book about this heartless crime.

There is no mystery in this one. A beautiful blonde name Angelika Graswald and her fiancé, Vincent Viafore, went kayaking on the river, and while it seemed like it should have been a perfect romantic afternoon, only Angelika came back. She had called 911 from her kayak to report Vincent had fallen into the extremely cold and fairly rough waters. A search party came quickly, but what they all assumed was an accident started to look like it maybe was something ese when Angelika posted videos of herself doing cartwheels on social media, after Vince disappeared but shortly before his body was found.

Her story unraveled quickly, as she admitted to police that she felt “trapped” by Vincent and was totally over his demands for a wild lifestyle: he loved nightlife, strip clubs, and threesomes. She says she wanted him dead, but she also said she didn’t kill him. Turned out she was the beneficiary of his life insurance , and she admitted not only removing the plug from Vincent’s kayak, but knocking his paddle away as he struggled to stay afloat after he fell in.

Pretty classic Fanning true crime. Solid, sure to be enjoyed by her fans and pretty much anyone who enjoys true crime. Four stars.

[Amy (TheSouthernGirlReads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have put this one down. It was not a good fit for me. Can I be honest? That was a complete shock to me. It’s been a very long time since I read true crime and maybe I grew out of it? 🤷🏻‍♀️.
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I love the ID channel...Snapped...I’m all about those thirty minute tv shows. Maybe that’s what happened...I was 25% in and felt like we should be done. It was obvious what happened. I just didn’t have the attention span to sit for 75% more 🤔.
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What I did like:
The writing was informational...but not too much so. The story is interesting and yep, I’m going to google the short version!
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[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love true crime but this one spent too much time on the legalese.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vince Viafore loved to kayak. On April 19, 2015, he set out for a day of fun on the Hudson River with his fiance, Angelika. The couple kayaked to a private island, Bannerman where they explored and took pictures as Angelika was a volunteer there and had access. As they started to return home, the water had gotten much rougher due to wind conditions. Angelika ended up calling 9-1-1 for assistance.
When help arrived, the crews were in time to see Angelika's kayak capsize and she was quickly pulled from the water with no issues. But Vince was nowhere in sight nor was his kayak. The kayak was later located but there was no sign of Vince. It was almost a month before his body was later recovered.

Was this just a case of bad luck and unforeseen weather conditions? Within days, family, friends and the police did not think so. Angelika seemed unconcerned, posting cheerfully on Facebook about the search for Vince and never showing any grief or sadness. It turned out that while Angelika had a safety vest, Vince did not although he was a stickler for proper equipment. Then there was the life insurance policy for $250,000 that she was the beneficiary of. Police brought her in for questioning.

As the questioning progressed, Angelika started to portray a relationship on the verge of collapse. They were to have married while on a visit to Europe, but Vince had delayed the marriage. Angelika portrayed Vince as controlling and possessive, saying she felt trapped. Soon she was admitting that she had taken the plug from Vince's kayak and then pulled his oars away. She was charged with murder.

Fans of true crime will enjoy this book. Fanning lays out the facts, including dialogue from Angelika's police interrogation. She also researched both Vince and Angelika's background and what family and friends thought about the relationship. She also covers the trial extensively. This book is recommended for true crime readers.

[Ceeceereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sought out this true crime book as I remember seeing an episode about this case on a true crime docu-series and finding it particularly interesting.

A man and woman set out on a kayaking trip on the Hudson River but only one returns. I found the first half of the book to be really interesting. The details are pretty shocking, the crime is abhorrent and the information about her character was very insightful in helping you to understand the crime a little better.

However, I didn’t feel that it delved deep enough into her psychology. I also didn’t feel that I really knew the victim in the way that some books truly bring them alive. As it embarked on the trial it felt like dialogue at the court being printed and I wasn’t fully invested as I had hoped to be.

[Mrs. Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

I knew a little about the about the Graswald/Viafore murder/accident, but what with relying on NPR for 90% of my news and The Los Angeles Times for the rest of it, my information was spotty. An interest in true crime prompted me to try to fill in the gaps - did she do it? How come? Why so chancy a method? What became of the whole thing? Hence my interest in Diane Fanning’s Death on the River.
The book proved to be so dull as to be virtually unreadable. A significant portion consisted of evidentiary or preliminary hearing transcripts. It didn’t answer any of my questions, but came close in that I quickly came not to care about and eventually to hate everyone involved - Graswald, Viafore, their half-dozen ex spouses/fiancées, their relatives, the police, the lawyers, and especially Fanning herself.
If you care to know more about the crime and its sequela, I recommend the web.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Spoilers ahead.)
The incident, the biographies of the main participants, and the confession are all covered in the first 75 pages; there was no trial because of a plea agreement, that means that fully two-thirds of the book is dedicated to pre-trial courtroom wrangling. All this plus an unsatisfactory denouement, and yet the narrative manages to be quite compelling. My main complaint is this: the plug and paddle ring are mentioned dozens of times ("her actions with the kayak plug and the paddle ring were contributing factors") without a good explanation of what they are, where they are located, their use and significance, etc.

[AnnMarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn’t the best true crime book out there. It reads more like a trial transcript than a book.

[Erika Nerdypants · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like a very long 48 Hours episode.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to read a lot of true crime but quit reading it for some reason. After reading and enjoying this book, I think it's time to start reading more in this genre. I find it interesting to find out the story behind the news story and to try to understand the mind of a person who feels that murdering another person is ok. In this case, she murdered someone that she was engaged to which made the crime even more unimaginable.
The story begins on a perfect day when Angelika and Vincent go on a kayaking trip in the Hudson River. They were both experienced kayakers but something went wrong at the end of their day. The water got rough and she called 911 to try to get help after his kayak turned over. The authorities considered it an accidental death until they questioned her. Her story kept changing and she didn't seem too upset over the death. In fact, she seemed almost happy that he was gone. As the police questioned her, they kept getting more and more honesty from her and finally had information to charge her with murder. As more details emerged—including a $250,000 life insurance policy—a killer question remained: Did Angelika remove the plug of her fiancé’s boat…and knock away his paddle as he sank?
I hadn't heard anything about this crime before I read the book and found it all very interesting. Since I finished the book, I have watched several videos about Angelika and her life today.

I thought that this was an well written and deeply researched book and recommend it to readers of true crime.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written account of an "accidental" kayaking accident which resulted in the death of Vince Viafore, a man loved by all who knew him. It seemed like the perfect romantic afternoon: a kayaking trip for two on the Hudson River. But it ended in tragedy when beautiful, blonde Angelika Graswald called 911 to report that her fiancé, the handsome and athletic Vincent Viafore, had fallen into the choppy frigid waters. Authorities assumed it was an accident. But when the bereft bride-to-be posted videos of herself doing cartwheels on social media—shortly before Vincent’s body was found—suspicions of murder rose to the surface…

After hours of questioning, Angelika made several shocking admissions. She said she felt “trapped” and fed up with Vincent’s “demanding” sexual lifestyle: the nightlife, the strip clubs, the threeways. “I wanted him dead,” she had said, even though she insisted that she didn’t kill him. But as more lurid details emerged—including a $250,000 life insurance policy—a killer question remained: Did Angelika remove the plug of her fiancé’s boat…and knock away his paddle as he sank?

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally, since I read true crime, I like a lot of what I read. But for some reason, this book just droned onnnnnnnnn and on andonandonandon....

I really had to struggle to finish it.

Let's not forget the fact that this Russian Wanna-fit-in babe acts like this doe eyed creature when she's questioned by the police why her loving, well-liked and well-loved fiance Vince 'Vinny' Viafore drowns, but she also starts giving his stuff away and tells people she's 'free'.

Definitely never a good sign that the death was accidental.

Angelika Graswald knew what she was doing the day she pulled the plug out of his kayak before they took a romantic day trip to an island off the coast of the Hudson River. What she didn't know was that so many people would finally get to the truth and that she's a sadistic, cold-blooded monster. Did she do it for his insurance money? Because he really did hurt her in asking for physical intimacy all the time? Forcing her to do the things she claims he wanted her to do?

Maybe. Maybe we will never know the real truth.

[L.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was absolutely amazing. Graswald committed premeditated, cold-blooded murder, to which she openly admitted immediately after she did it. She spent the next few years shouting far and wide how glad she was that he was dead. After pleading guilty, she spent only a few weeks in prison before she got out and COLLECTED HIS LIFE INSURANCE. Unbelievable! The telling of the story was a bit slow, there was a lot of repetition of information. In the author's defense there weren't a lot of details to this case, the plan to commit murder was very simple, the confession was immediate, the only thing that kept this case dragging out was a defense lawyer who was willing to do anything under the sun to try to confuse people (the only way to create any sort of reasonable doubt was simple confusion, the crime and confession were so blatant) and the prosecution's lack of any sort of backbone, which somehow miraculously came together in the defendant's favor.

[JO ANN Stange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Great writing of this author one of the first books I read from her but will be reading more certainty gives you a look into our justice system and wonder why our lawmakers who are being paid by us to keep us safe do nothing about the laws that protect the murders?how could she sit there and do nothing no matter what there relationship was?
The American people help all in need including abuse to animals she’s a monster!
that grief stricken family will carry there missing child all there life’s thinking of what should of been done to think she walks around with freedom to do it again in the United States is very terrible for his parents,her punishment should of been taken care of by sending her back to Lavita!
My heart goes out to this young mans parents and friends!
I will include your son in my prayers!

[Lee Husemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angeleka Graswald emigrated to the United States looking for a better future as a "nanny." She soon married and that did not work out so she married again and that didn't work out either. She had various jobs as bartenders and waitresses until she met successful Vincent Viafore. It wasn't long before she moved in with him and they became engaged. The romance started to unravel and "Vinny" was not sure if he wanted to marry Angeleka or not. They decide to go kayaking late one afternoon when the water was still cold. On the way back to the shore from visiting an island, Vince's kayak starts to take on water and he capsizes and drowns. This is the story of the police interrogation and subsequent trial of Angeleka, both of which I found very interesting and informative. Author Diane Fanning did an excellent job researching both and presenting all the facts.

[Betsy Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diane Fanning takes the reader on a wild ride of love, deceit, and murder on the Hudson River. Angelika, a woman with various personality disorders, none the least of which is her narcissistic view of the world, sabotages her fiance's kayak following an afternoon on historic Bannerman Island. The river turns rough; the kayak takes on water and overturns; and Angelika pulls his paddle out of reach, leaving him to drown.

The book takes us into the world of the police who have to solve the crime. Their interrogations are the stuff of movies, except this is real. A man died, and the woman he loved felt "free" after she did nothing to save him.

Chilling for her intent. A must read for those of us who love both true crime and police procedurals.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

#partner Thank you to @stmartinspress for this free review copy. All opinions are my own. .
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I LOVE all kinds of true crime--podcasts, TV shows, but books also. So, when this arrived in my mailbox unexpectedly I knew I would add it immediately to my April TBR. This book tells the true story of Victor and Angelika's fated kayak trip to Bannerman Island on the Hudson River. After spending time on the island, they make the arduous journey back to New York when Victor's kayak flips and he struggles to get back on. Angelika makes it back to safety but Victor succumbs to the effects of hypothermia and rough waves. In time, as police investigate the situation more...some things are not entirely as they seem.
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This book ticked off all my true crime boxes: unreliable suspects, mysterious circumstances, missing evidence. Diane Fanning is a talented and award winning crime author who details the case of Victor Viafore with unmatchable detail and accuracy. Her writing is engaging and exciting. I appreciated her presentation of the facts and then how she gave her opinion, only after everything had been presented.

[Lauretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unjustly Justified

A very interesting book to read, with a lot of questions that need to be answered. How and why did she get four years after admitting her guilt? Who was more at fault, the detectives and/or the defendant? There are more questions, but I think Angelina should have received more time.

[Melani D · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was bizarre to say the least. I’d never heard of the author, but then I haven’t read much true crime in the last 20 years or so. The writing was just okay. It felt like just a recitation of bullet points. It didn’t feel fluid. I listened to the audio version and was definitely not enamored of the reader. At times, it felt like digital AI was reading the story.

[Kieran · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was very neutral in its reporting which is good because there’s no bias, but I think Dianne is far too kind of the police, Angelika was rail-roaded and the judge was the most unfair judge I’ve ever read about.

I personally don’t think Angelika did it.

[Megan Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was good. It was emotional.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Only a psychopath could have done what she did and have little to no remorse.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s rather boring.

[Jess Mahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, just very tedious and boring. The courtroom scenes lasted way too long and were just really boring. Wouldn’t recommend unfortunately.

[Lisbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

slow