Dickens to Shelley: nine literary classics are part of Spotify's audiobook series

The books are broken up by chapter into episodes and are available for free globally. Photo: Handout

Streaming giant Spotify is extending its foray into audiobooks, dropping nine new public-domain classics narrated by celebrities including Hilary Swank and Forest Whitaker.

The platform known best for its music has used podcasts to drive growth since 2019, and recently began bolstering its audiobook selection.