His novel, "The November Man", was awarded the 1981 Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
He is survived by his wife, Lori Meschke Granger of 45 years and their son, Alec Granger; and sister Ruth Granger Wellens.
He attended DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois where he was editor of the school newspaper but he did not graduate. While serving in the United States Army in the mid-1960s, he moonlighted as a copy boy at the Washington Post.
Son of William Granger and Ruth Griffith Granger who later moved to Chicago, Illinois. He was a copy boy at the Chicago Daily News in high school.