What is a central idea that the author develops throughout The Dark Game?

Elizabeth Van Lew ran a safe house for escaped Union soldiers in her Richmond home.
During the Civil War, ordinary individuals who wanted to aid the war effort acted as spies.
Elizabeth Van Lew fed information to the Union Army about the movements of the Confederate Army.
During the Civil War, there was no organized counterintelligence system, so spies were rarely caught.

One central idea that the author develops throughout The Dark Game is the role of individual civilians in espionage and intelligence gathering during the Civil War. Elizabeth Van Lew's actions illustrate how ordinary individuals were able to make a significant impact on the war effort by acting as spies and feeding valuable information to the Union Army. The lack of an organized counterintelligence system at the time allowed individuals like Van Lew to operate successfully and provide crucial intelligence to aid the Union cause.