PICTURES, VIDEO

Bestselling crime author Elmore Leonard dead at 87

Author Elmore Leonard sits by his typewriter at his home in Birmingham, Michigan on March 31, 1983. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard sits by his typewriter at his home in Birmingham, Michigan on March 31, 1983. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard on the set of his latest book-turned movie, Pronto, in Miami Beach, Florida on June 18, 1996. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard on the set of his latest book-turned movie, Pronto, in Miami Beach, Florida on June 18, 1996. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard works on a manuscript at his home in Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Tuesday, Sept 28, 2010. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard works on a manuscript at his home in Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Tuesday, Sept 28, 2010. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard works on a manuscript at his home in Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Tuesday, Sept 28, 2010. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard works on a manuscript at his home in Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Tuesday, Sept 28, 2010. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard smiles during an interview at his home in Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Monday, Sept 17, 2012. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard smiles during an interview at his home in Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Monday, Sept 17, 2012. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard in his home at Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Monday, Sept 17, 2012. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Author Elmore Leonard in his home at Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Monday, Sept 17, 2012. Leonard died on Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
  • Published
    Aug 20, 2013, 10:15 pm SGT

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Bestselling American author Elmore Leonard died on Tuesday aged 87, having suffered a stroke last month, the writer's website said.

"Elmore passed away this morning at 7.15 a.m. at home surrounded by his loving family," the announcement on elmoreleonard.com said.

The crime writer wrote more than 45 books, including best-sellers such as "Get Shorty," "Out of Sight" and "3:10 to Yuma."

Many of his novels were made into successful Hollywood movies.

The ad man-turned-writer suffered a stroke on July 29.