"The Necklace and Other Stories" is a collection of stories written by Maupassant in the 1870s and 1880s, first published in French (mostly in magazines) and later published in collected volumes and translated into a number of foreign languages. This collection includes some of Maupassant's most famous and highly acclaimed work, most notably "Ball-of-Fat," which was his first published story and is considered his masterpiece.
"The Necklace," the titular short story, was extremely popular, featuring Maupassant's signature twist ending. The story was published in 1884 and was later included in Maupassant's short-story collection in 1885 ("Tales of Day and Night"). The influence of Flaubert, celebrated author and Maupassant's friend, is clear in this story: both "The Necklace" and the works of Flaubert feature female characters who are dissatisfied with their lives and are desperate to escape them.
