Michael William Cranny is a Canadian author and archaeological scholar based in Victoria, B.C. Born in Liverpool, England, Cranny grew up in southern Ontario before moving to B.C. to complete his post-secondary education at the University of British Columbia. His Master of Arts degree was titled "Carrier settlement and subsistence in the Chinlac/Cluculz Lake area of Central British Columbia" and focused on the Chunlac Village site. Cranny later entered the Doctor of Philosophy program at UBC, focusing on education and history from 1998 - 2002 without completing a dissertation.

Cranny currently resides in Victoria and is the author of the Archie Stevens mystery series, as well as authoring a number of articles on archaeology and education.