JESSICA BIEL is plotting her return to television.

    USA Network has ordered a pilot for drama “The Sinner,” starring and executive-produced by the actress.

    Based on Petra Hammesfahr’s best-selling book of the same name, “The Sinner” centers on a young mother who is overcome by an inexplicable fit of rage and commits a startling and very public act of violence. Even worse, she has no idea why. The incident launches an inverted and utterly surprising crime thriller whose driving force is not the who or the what — but the why. A rogue investigator finds himself obsessed with uncovering the woman’s buried motive, and together they travel a harrowing path into the depths of her psyche and the violent secrets hidden in her past.

    If picked up to series, “The Sinner” would mark Biel’s first TV regular role in nearly 15 years. She famously got her start on the long-running family drama “7th Heaven” but departed the series after six seasons, occasionally making guest appearances thereafter.

    “The Sinner” continues USA’s descent into darker and edgier programing that began with sophomore hacker drama “Mr. Robot,” which recently earned six Emmy nominations.

    (SD-Agencies)