The first Telugu detective novel, "Raja Raju" was written by K. V. Jagadisham in 1905. However, it was not until the 1920s and 1930s that the genre gained popularity. Authors like G. P. Rao and B. V. R. Chowdhary wrote several detective novels that captivated readers. These early novels were heavily influenced by English detective fiction and featured detectives who solved crimes using Western methods.