Dinner and a Murder Mystery Games

I'm deciding whether to purchase four deuces and have read many posts and responses. Im wondering if it is required to murder off more than Big Jim? I want to know if I can simplify this game a bit for only 10 guests. Not sure will I want them to worry about costume changes and getting familiar with other characters during dinner and partying. I'm also afraid that if three people are taken out , that narrows the list of possible murderers to only one of six or seven. Wouldn't This make solving the mystery a little too easy?
P. S. This group has played other murder mystery games where nobody dies but a fictional character not present at the party. I want this to be a challenge but not overly complicated either.
Thanks!

Since you have so few people, you could eliminate the murders, but personally, I would just throw one weapon card in the hat with the Action Cards and blank cards. Then let your guests know that during the drawing there is a single weapon card in there, that can only be used one time, so to make sure they use it wisely. That will add a HUGE amount of drama to your game. In addition, you can bet, it won't be used until much later in the game, as whoever gets it, will most likely hold onto it for their own personal use, or start a bidding war for it, if they are smart BUT, you can just do away with them all together. I don't normally suggest this, as they do add such a huge amount of fun to the game, but your at the minimum number of guests, so I can see why you would want to. OH, and the weapon cards are not done until after the Evidence is presented. Usually about half way through the evening. The murderer COULD be killed, although almost never is, so it in no way limits the field of suspects for the original murder. If you give the murder victim a new character, it should not entail a costume change. The only costume change we do in our games when I host them, is sometimes the person playing the victim will do this, knowing the second character they are playing. My son loved to have a pillow under his suit, with a mustache and stogie while playing Big Jim, then remove the pillow and mustache and stogie, of course. New character without a drastic change.

Anyway, hope this helps you!